The Gulf Advanced Chemical Industries Company (GACIC) has signed a contract with Norway's Aker Kvaerner to provide engineering, procurement and construction, including commissioning and start up services, for a 75,000 ton-per-annum butanediol (BDO) plant in Al-Jubail, Saudi Arabia.
Aker Kvaerner expects its involvement in the project to be in the range of $140-150 million, stated a press release. The 300,000 man-hour project is being carried out by Aker Kvaerner's office in the Netherlands, using a combined team from the UK and Holland. Plant start-up is expected in the fourth quarter, 2005.
This project is a part of the privately owned petrochemicals' complex being developed in Al-Jubail by the Saudi International Petrochemical Company (SIPCHEM). The venture will use butane-to-maleic anhydride technology to convert n-butane to maleic anhydride, which will then be used for the production of BDO.
BDO is one of the world's fastest growing chemicals used in the production of polybutylene terephthalate, thermoplastic polyurethanes, elastic fibres, pharmaceuticals, solvents, plant protection, coatings and electronic chemicals. — (menareport.com)
© 2004 Mena Report (www.menareport.com)
