Canadian engineering and construction group SNC-Lavalin has won a contract to design and deliver a chloralkali/PVC plant to Project Development & Management International in Oman.

The new facility, estimated to cost around $1.5 billion, will produce approximately 250,000 t/y of PVC, which is destined for export to Asian markets, along with 140,000 t/y of caustic soda for supplying local industries.

SNC-Lavalin said it will support the project long term, from concept development to commissioning. This will include services such as initial engineering, master planning, along with process technology evaluation and selection to support financial investment decision approvals. An engineering, procurement and construction management (EPCM) contract is expected to be awarded in the first quarter of 2019.

Christian Brown, president, oil & gas at SNC-Lavalin, said Oman is an important market for the group and the contract a major strategic win, helping to grow its business in the region.

The Montreal-headquartered group was awarded a long-term framework contract in 2017 for commissioning and start-up support services management for Petroleum Development Oman's upstream assets. As part of this contract, SNC-Lavalin set up a dedicated academy in Muscat to train and develop multidisciplinary graduate engineers in the specialist field of commissioning.

SNC-Lavalin is also working on an ammonia project for Salalah Methanol in Oman. Construction of the 330,000 t/y plant is expected to be completed in 2020.