22 December 2006 - Aker Kvaerner has just completed a project for Zhejiang Hualian Sunshine Petro-Chemical Co. Ltd., for a new a Purified Terephthalic Acid (PTA) plant using technology from INVISTA. The plant is now operational at Zhejiang Hualian Sunshine's petrochemical complex in Shaoxing, Zhejiang Province, in the People's Republic of China. A record-breaking plant start-up was realised with nameplate capacity achieved within four days.
Aker Kvaerner provided the extended basic engineering design, and supplied the offshore material and equipment, as well as site advisory services. The scope also included onshore technical review services for the detail design carried out by the Chinese Design Institute, HuanQiu Contracting & Engineering Corporation, based in Beijing.
"Aker Kvaerner is the most experienced contractor in the execution of PTA projects using the INVISTA technology, and we are proud of yet another successful achievement in China," says Wim van der Zande, President of AK Process. "Combined with Aker Kvaerner's Project Execution Model, our extensive technical expertise and local knowledge allowed us to address the project challenges to ensure a successful project for Zhejiang Hualian Sunshine."
"It has been the strong working relationship and collaborative efforts of all our main contractors - Aker Kvaerner, INVISTA, Huan Qiu Contracting & Engineering Corp., together with Sinopec's sizeable construction capability - that has helped us achieve an excellent project outcome," confirms Mr Dong Bing Gen, President of Zhejiang Hualian Sunshine. "Having increased our PET capacity in 2005, we see this successful PTA project as a platform for further developments."
Aker Kvaerner has worked on more than 20 PTA facilities spanning more than 20 years. Currently, that represents around 20 per cent of the world's PTA production capacity.
PTA is the preferred raw material for polyester, first introduced in 1951. Today, PTA is used globally as a key ingredient in the manufacture of polyester fibres, tyre cord, resins and films, and in the manufacture of PET.
ENDS
For further information, please contact:
Media:
Torbjørn S. Andersen, SVP Group Communications, Aker Kvaerner. Tel: +47 67 51 30 36, Mob: +47 928 85 542
Torbjørn S. Andersen, SVP Group Communications, Aker Kvaerner. Tel: +47 67 51 30 36, Mob: +47 928 85 542
Wim van der Zande, President, AK Process, The Netherlands. Tel: +31 (0)79 368 8434
Vanessa Mourant, Communications Manager - E&C Europe, Aker Kvaerner, UK. Tel: +44 (0) 207 339 1064 Mob: +44 (0)7771 806566
Investor relations:
Lasse Torkildsen, VP Investor Relations, Aker Kvaerner. Tel: +47 67 51 30 39
Lasse Torkildsen, VP Investor Relations, Aker Kvaerner. Tel: +47 67 51 30 39
Career opportunities:
AKER KVÆRNER ASA, through its subsidiaries and affiliates ("Aker Kvaerner"), is a leading global provider of engineering and construction services, technology products and integrated solutions. The business within Aker Kvaerner comprises several industries, including Oil & Gas, Refining & Chemicals, Mining & Metals, Power Generation and Pulp & Paper. The Aker Kvaerner group is organised into two principal business streams, namely Oil & Gas and E&C, each consisting of a number of separate legal entities. Aker Kvaerner is used as the common brand/trademark for most of these entities.
The parent company in the group is Aker Kværner ASA. Aker Kvaerner has aggregated annual revenues of approximately NOK 41.4 billion and employs approximately 24 000 people in more than 30 countries.
Aker Kvaerner is part of the Aker Group (www.akerasa.com), a leading multi-industry powerhouse with more than 50 000 employees and NOK 80 billion revenues. Aker owns 50.01 per cent of Aker Kvaerner, and the group is also a major European shipbuilder and a significant participant in the fisheries industry.
AK Process is a trading name of Aker Kvaerner Netherlands B.V. AK Process is one of the core businesses of the Aker Kvaerner group in Europe. AK Process serves the chemicals and polymers, refining and onshore oil & gas industries. It provides the full life cycle of a project from concept studies, through to design, engineering, project management, delivery of process technologies, procurement, construction and maintenance services. As a pure project execution/EPC specialist, AK Process can provide customers with strategic 'one-off' services or full turnkey solutions under a single project management control.
The company works with its customers in the development of major technological innovations, having participated in the conceptualisation and implementation of ideas, which are the foundation for world-class production facilities.
This press release may include forward-looking information or statements and is subject to our disclaimer, see our web-pages www.akerkvaerner.com