Abu Dhabi Oil Refining Company (Takreer) has prequalified companies to build a carbon black plant in Ruwais, in line with its ambitions to extend its downstream capabilities at the refining complex.

The tender for the engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) work is expected to be issued shortly. “They should issue the tender this month,” says a source at a bidding company.

The prequalified companies are:

• Bechtel (US)
• CTCI (Taiwan)
• GS Engineering & Construction (South Korea)
• JGC (Japan)
• Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (Japan)/Hyundai Engineering & Construction (South Korea)
• Saipem (Italy)
• SK Engineering & Construction (South Korea)
• Samsung (South Korea)
• Techint (Italy)
• Technimont (Italy)
• Technip (France)
• Tecnicas Reunidas (Spain)

The scope of the project includes the construction of a coker unit, which breaks down heavy oil, as well as refractory lined reactors, hydrogen scrubbers and a recycle system, spray coolers and a storage and packing plant.

Australia’s WorleyParsons is undertaking the front-end engineering and design (feed) work, which will be completed in the third quarter of 2011. Bechtel is the project management contractor.

The Ruwais complex, located 120 kilometres from Abu Dhabi, boasts a 120,000 barrels a day (b/d) refinery, a 27,000 b/d hydro cracker complex and a natural gas liquids fractionation plant operated by Abu Dhabi Gas Industries (Gasco).