Overview

Sonatrach is modernising of three of its major refineries, located at Arzew, Algiers and Skikda.

The Skikda refinery has a capacity of 335,000 barrels a day (b/d), most of which is exported.  The upgrade will boost the refinery’s efficiency and improve product quality. Once completed, the refinery’s process capacity will rise from 15 million tonnes per annum (mt/a) of Saharan Blend crude to 16.6 mt/a. Its refining capacity will increase to 45 mt/a by 2014 from its current 25 mt/a.

The refinery’s main production units, with current capacities, are:

• Crude unit (335,000 b/d)
• Vacuum unit (9,000 b/d)
• Catalytic reformer (30,000 b/d)
• Isomerisation unit (1,900 b/d)
• Asphalt unit (2,900 b/d)

It also produces about 380,000 tonnes a year (t/y) of aromatics and 145,000 t/y of oxidized asphalt along with LPG and fuels.

Project scope includes:

• Rehabilitation of two atmospheric distillation units
• Rehabilitation of two gas plant units (LPG separation units)
• Catalytic reforming unit
• Rehabilitation of all utilities, including production and distribution of steam, condensed steam, cooling water and fuel gas
• Rehabilitation of the aromatic production units with upgrading of the process
• Replacement of some electrical, rotating and static equipment
• Rehabilitation and modernization of instrumentation by the implementation of the DCS and APC
• Design and construction of a new central control room
• Installation of benzene recovery plant
• Installation of paraxylene production facility
• Installation of hydrogen purification unit