Upgrade of Abu Dhabi's refining industry is moving forward.
The emirate's Supreme Petroleum Council ordered state-owned Abu Dhabi National Oil Co. (Adnoc) to begin front-end engineering design for expansion and upgrade of Adnoc's 120,000 b/cd Ruwais refinery.
The project, aimed at raising product exports, has been under discussion for several years.
Construction under current plans is to include a 135,000 b/sd crude distillation unit, 200,000 b/sd condensate distillation unit, 46,000 b/sd hydrocracker, and related processing, storage, handling, and loading equipment. Completion is targeted for early 2000.
The council also approved a plan by Adnoc to phase out lead in gasoline and reduce the sulfur content of diesel fuel to 0.5 wt % from 1 wt %.
The plan will require installation of isomerization units at Ruwais and Abu Dhabi's other refinery, the 72,500 b/cd Umm Al-Nar plant, as well as conversion of the Ruwais reformer to continuous catalyst regeneration operation. The reformer's capacity also will be expanded.
Also receiving approval was construction of a complex to produce polyethylene from refinery gases at Ruwais. Completion is due in late 1999.
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