The plant will take 20 months to build and will have capacity to produce 300,000 tonnes a year of calcined coke as its main product, along with volumes of gypsum and steam. Petroleum coke, the feedstock for the proposed plant, will be sourced from the Mina Abdulla refinery. The project will also entail the construction of a flue gas de-sulphurisation (FGD) unit, which will be used to produce gypsum.

The calcined coke is targeted for export to regional aluminium producers, while the gypsum will be used locally in the construction industry. Total project costs are estimated to be at least KD 31.5 million ($105 million).

The US' Svedala Industries is the technology provider for the proposed coke calcination plant. The local Global Investment House is acting as financial advisor for the scheme.

Kuwait Santa Fe for Engineering & Petroleum Products Company, acting on behalf of Kuwait Petroleum Corporation, will oversee the formation of a new project company to set up, own and operate the proposed plant.