Bahrain’s state-owned petrochemical company Gulf Petrochemical Industries Co. (GPIC) has reportedly awarded a FEED (Front-End Engineering Design) contract to U.S.-based Fluor Corp. for a new aromatics unit (para-xylene and benzene) at its Sitra complex. The new unit is planned with a capacity of 1.2 million tonnes per year of para-xylene and 500,000 tonnes per year of benzene, it is reported.
The FEED contract covers a new aromatics plant to be built within GPIC’s Sitra complex, with Fluor performing the front-end engineering design, it is reported. The process technology to be applied is described as commercially proven process technology, though the specific licensor has not been disclosed.
The new unit’s target production capacity is 1.2 million tonnes per year of para-xylene and 500,000 tonnes per year of benzene, it is reported. This contract covers the FEED stage, which is expected to be followed by an EPC award.
Bahrain is reportedly pursuing downstream petrochemical upgrading to diversify its economy away from a structure centered on crude oil and gas exports, and this new aromatics unit is regarded as part of that effort.
This case illustrates the continuing trend among Gulf oil-producing states of adding high-value-added downstream units such as aromatics and olefins, leveraging their feedstock advantage.
The timing of the eventual EPC award following FEED completion, and the selection of the final technology licensor, are worth watching.