Saudi Chevron buys GE compressors

Al Jubail GE Oil and Gas will supply three compression trains for a new large-scale ethylene cracker plant in Al Jubail, Saudi Arabia, which will have a capacity of 1.165 million tonnes per year when it enters commercial service in 2011 for Saudi Chevron Phillips.

The new compression trains will consist of cracked gas, propylene refrigerant and binary refrigerant compressors.

Saudi Chevron Phillips's existing petrochemical complex in Al Jubail includes an ethylbenzene unit, cyclohexane and a world scale single-train styrene unit.

Expansion

Included in the current complex expansion are polyethylene, polypropylene, and polystyrene units along with required utilities storage facilities, feedstock and product pipelines, and port facilities.

"GE is honoured to be supporting Saudi Chevron Phillips on this world-class project as we expand our equipment installation in Saudi Arabia," said Mohammad Ayoub, operations leader and regional general manager - Middle East for GE Oil and Gas.

"The utilisation of our steam turbine and centrifugal compressor technology will enable the new ethylene plant to handle all process requirements."

GE Oil and Gas is a major supplier of large compressors with more than 3.2 million operating hours accumulated by 80 units currently in operation worldwide.

Delivery in 2009

The compressor trains for the Saudi Chevron Phillips project are being manufactured by GE Oil and Gas at its facilities in Florence and Massa, Italy. The equipment is scheduled for delivery to the plant site between April and June 2009.

WorleyParsons International performed front-end engineering and design work on the project.

In addition to the Saudi Arabia project, previously GE Oil and Gas had been selected to supply compressor trains for two milestone projects in China that will feature the world's largest coal-based propylene plants.