The 300,000 man-hours project will be executed from Aker Kvaerner's Zoetermeer office in The Netherlands, using a combined team from the UK and Zoetermeer offices. The new plant will be based on technologies provided by Davy Process Technology, Huntsman Corporation and UOP.
Aker Kvaerner has signed an early work agreement to start key activities to ensure that the overall schedule is maintained. The full contract is expected to come into force in mid 2003. The project is scheduled to take 33 months from the start of the preliminary work, and plant start-up is expected in the fourth quarter, 2005.
Wim van der Zande, President of AK Process, Aker Kvaerner's European Process business, said: "This award follows on from the successful BDO project, executed for BASF PETRONAS Chemicals, in Kuantuan, Malaysia. This project has provided us with invaluable experience in working on a multi-location basis, with exposure to the quality requirements demanded for such a world-class process facility."
This project is a part of the privately owned petrochemicals' complex being developed in Al Jubail by the Saudi International Petrochemical Company (SIPC). The venture will use Huntsman Corporation's proprietary butane-to-maleic anhydride (MAH) technology to convert n-butane to maleic anhydride. The MAH will then be used as a feedstock for the production of BDO via Davy Process Technology's MAH-to-BDO technology.
BDO is one of the world's fastest growing chemicals used in the production of thermoplastic polyurethanes, elastic fibres, pharmaceuticals, solvents, plant protection, coatings and electronic chemicals.
ENDS
For further information:
Aker Kvaerner Group, Oslo, Norway
Geir Arne Drangeid, Senior Vice President Group Communication, Kværner ASA Tel: +47 913 10 458
Geir Arne Drangeid, Senior Vice President Group Communication, Kværner ASA Tel: +47 913 10 458
Tore Langballe, Vice President Investor Relations, Kværner ASA Tel: +47 6751 3106
or
Vanessa Mourant, Aker Kvaerner, London, UK: Tel : +44 (0)20 7339 1064
Samantha Voorvelt, Aker Kvaerner, Zoetermeer, The Netherlands: Tel: +31 79 3688688
NOTES TO EDITORS
Aker Kvaerner is a leading global provider of engineering
and construction services, technology products and integrated solutions. Group activities span a number of industries, including Oil and gas upstream and downstream, Process, Pharmaceuticals, Metals, Power, Chemical Pulping, Environmental and Shipbuilding. Aker Kvaerner is a multi-local group of businesses with nearly USD 6 billion of annual revenues and around 33 000 employees in more than 30 countries.
www.akerkvaerner.com