Fluor Wins China/India Projects

Major US engineering contractor Fluor has been awarded contracts for projects in China and India.

The first win is for work on Invista’s planned adiponitrile (ADN) plant in China. Fluor will provide engineering, procurement and construction services on the new 400,000 t/y plant, which will be built at the Shanghai Chemical Industry Park.

Detailed engineering is underway, procurement has begun and construction is expected to start this year. Mechanical completion is planned for the first quarter of 2022. When complete, the facility will be integrated with Invista’s existing hexamethylene diamine (HMD) and polymer plants.

During the past five years, Invista has started up plants in the park for producing 150,000 t/y nylon 6.6 and 215,000 t/y of nylon intermediate HMD.

Invista announced in August 2018 that it would build an ADN plant with a ‘minimum’ capacity of 300,000 t/y in order to meet strong demand in China. The company estimates investment costs will be in excess of $1 billion.

The second contract is from Bharat Petroleum Corporation Ltd. (BPCL). Fluor will provide project management consultancy services for BPCL’s polyols project in Kochi, Kerala. The scope of work includes front end engineering and design of both the inside and outside battery limits as well as detailed design, engineering, procurement and construction management services for the facility’s utilities and offsites.

“We look forward to working with BPCL to deliver a world-class facility that will help meet growing domestic demand for polyols and reduce India’s dependence on petrochemical imports,” said Mark Fields, group president of Fluor’s Energy & Chemicals business.

The project comprises six process units, which will be integrated into the existing refinery – propylene oxide, propylene glycol, polyols, ethylene oxide/monoethylene glycol, ethylene recovery and cumene.

When complete, the Kochi complex will produce propylene glycol, ethylene glycol and various grades of polyols based on 250,000 t/y of polymer-grade propylene. An on stream date was not given. Fluor’s office in New Delhi will lead the project execution, with support provided by the company’s global network.

Murali Madhavan, executive director of BPCL’s Kochi refinery, said the company is making major advancements at its refinery to produce niche petrochemicals that are extensively imported into India to make polyurethanes used in footwear, foam and other items.