Name and Location
Aden refinery revamp upgrade project, Little Aden, Yemen.

Client
Aden Refinery Company.

Project Description
The existing refinery at Aden currently processes Marib light crude, producing leaded petrol for the domestic market. New legislation will remove leaded petrol in the domestic market in the near future and therefore a refinery upgrade is essential.

The scope of modernisation entails the complete replacement of the process and utility units while using the existing storage at the refinery and the piping and jetty facilities that are in good working order.

There will be some additional storage added to the jetty for new product exports, with improvements to fire safety at the facilities.

The current suggested refinery upgrade will use one of two possible crude oils – Masila or imported Kuwait.

The refinery operating with Masila crude takes a feed of 20 663 tons per stream day (TPSD) into the atmospheric crude distillation unit (CDU).

Kuwait crude represents the high-sulphur operation and, compared with Masila, requires the addition of the atmospheric residue desulphurisation (ARDS) unit. Kuwait crude feeds to the atmospheric CDU at the rate of 20 657 TPSD.

According to the feasibility study completed on the project, the new refinery will include a motor petrol train; a naphtha hydrotreater; a naphtha splitter; a continuous catalytic reformer; an aromatics train; a reformate splitter; an atmospheric CDU; an isomerisation unit and a sulpholane unit; benzene, toluene and xylene recovery units; distillate units; kerosene merox; and a distillate hydrotreater.

The development also includes residue conversion units comprising a residue desulphurisation unit (Kuwait crude only), a residue fluidised catalytic cracker, a propylene recovery unit, Lt naphtha merox and a selective petrol hydrotreater.

Also included in the refinery development are amine absorbers, a regenerating unit, a hydrogen generation unit and a sulphur plant.

Value
The total installed cost for the Masila crude feed case is estimated at $3.4-billion and $4.2-billion for the Kuwait case. The equipment designs only differentiate between the Masila and Kuwait crude cases for the ARDS unit, which is required for the Kuwait case. All other equipment sizes remain the same.

Duration
Not stated.

Latest Developments
None stated.

Key Contracts and Suppliers
Foster Wheeler (feasibility study).

On Budget and on Time?
Not stated.

Contact Details for Project Information
Aden Refinery Company, tel +967 2 376234, fax +967 2 376600 or email info@arc-ye.com.