Indian chemical contractor Nuberg EPC has secured a $53 million project to build a chlor-alkali and chlorine derivatives complex for Saudi Factory for Chlorine and Alkalies (SACHLO), a subsidiary of Saudi Arabia’s Middle East Chemicals Company (Midchem) at Riyadh.

The contract covers EPC & LSTK services and solutions for a 60,000 t/d chlor-alkali plant and a 150,000 t/d calcium chloride plant. The project is Nuberg’s second for Midchem, after building a 60,000 t/d greenfield chlor-alkali plant for the company in 2012. At the same time, it is the Indian contractor’s fifth contract in Saudi Arabia.

SACHLO is one of Saudi Arabia’s largest manufacturers of chlor alkali and chlorine derivatives Output of the complex will supply the downstream and petrochemical, hydrocarbon and energy sectors in the local market well as the Middle East & Africa (MEA) generally and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) region.

Nuberg is currently executing three other projects in Saudi Arabia, which include an anisole  and a sulphuric acid plant for ADDAR Industries and a sulpholane plant for Global Company for Chemical Industries in Jubail industrial city.

For the chlorine complex, the New Delhi-based company’s contract includes the process, technology know-how, basic and detailed engineering, design as well as procurement, manufacture and supply of plant equipment including complete erection, construction, project management, commissioning and start-up.

AK Tyagi, chairman and managing director of Nuberg, said the new project is strategic as it will help expand the contractor’s chlor-alkali and chlorine derivative portfolio in Saudi market and demonstrate its “world-class credentials in executing turnkey projects from concept development to commissioning.

The chlor-alkali plant will use the bipolar membrane cell technology of Inovyn, which was also technology licensor for the earlier Midchem project. For the calcium chloride plant, Nuberg EPC will partner with an unnamed global licensor of technology for producing calcium chloride flakes with 77-80 % and 94-96% concentration.