The Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC) announced the progress of the “Project to Enhance the Flexibility of Refining Operations of Crude Oil” in Ruwais, with the progress of completion operations to 73% of it, which aims to develop its capabilities in the refining industry and strengthen the role of Ruwais as a major engine to drive industrial growth In the UAE and Abu Dhabi.
The ADNOC Crude Oil Refining Operations Flexibility Project allows the processing of Upper Zakum crude extracted from the offshore oil fields in Abu Dhabi, along with 50 different types of other raw materials, after its refining operations were mainly dependent on processing Murban crude extracted from the onshore fields in The Emirate of Abu Dhabi for over 40 years.
Dr. Sultan Ahmed Al-Jaber, Minister of Industry and Advanced Technology, CEO of ADNOC and its Group of Companies said: “We continue to focus on increasing the profit margin and achieving the maximum possible value from every barrel of oil produced, in parallel with the smart and responsible investment approach in various market conditions. .
The investment in the project to enhance the flexibility of crude oil refining operations is an important step towards achieving our goals to develop the Ruwais complex and turn it into a global industrial center in the field of refining and petrochemicals, and to enhance ADNOC’s role as a major engine to drive industrial growth and economic diversification in the UAE in the long term. ”
The project to enhance the resilience of refining operations of crude oil, at a cost of 12.8 billion dirhams (US $ 3.5 billion), is a key driver in the implementation of ADNOC’s 2030 strategy for smart growth in the field of refining and petrochemicals, especially after announcing in 2018 plans to diversify the raw materials it processes. . The project will contribute to increasing the value of every barrel of oil ADNOC produces and processes, by enhancing the profit margin of its refining operations, in addition to allowing the export of more high-value Murban crude.
ADNOC has made significant progress in the infrastructure work of the project to enhance the flexibility of crude oil refining operations. The main structural elements have been installed on the site over the past two months, including structures of 24 units for removing sulfur residues, and two new distillation units that allow separating components in crude oil to double the operations. Refining. The two distillation units, each weighing 317 tons, were transferred from South Korea to the UAE, while the installation of the 80-meter-high structures took three weeks during June and July 2020.
Upon completion in mid-2022, the “project to enhance the resilience of crude oil refining operations” will allow processing up to 420,000 barrels per day of the heavier and more acidic types of crude oil, out of the total refining capacity at Ruwais, which reaches 840,000 barrels per day.
The development of more flexible and adaptive refining capabilities in Ruwais is a key aspect of ADNOC’s 2030 strategy for smart growth in the field of refining and petrochemicals, which it announced at the ADNOC Refining and Petrochemicals Investment Forum in 2018. Since then, ADNOC has been able to attract significant foreign investment to Ruwais. And expand its partnerships in the areas of refining, fertilizers, and pipeline infrastructure assets.
ADNOC continues to implement its plans to expand its refining and petrochemical business in the UAE, which will witness the transformation of the Ruwais Industrial Complex into a complex for chemical and petrochemical industries, able to compete globally, by taking advantage of the distinguished geographical location of the UAE, close to global growth markets. It provides raw materials at competitive prices, integrated facilities and services, in addition to the reliable and attractive regulatory and financial environment in Abu Dhabi. Investment in Ruwais will stimulate private sector activity and support specialized job opportunities in the long term, especially in the Al Dhafra region.
ADNOC Refining produces more than 40 million tons annually of high-value refined products for markets around the world, as it refines up to 922,000 barrels per day of crude oil and condensates in various products that include liquefied petroleum gas, naphtha, gasoline, and jet fuel. And gas oil, essential oils, fuel oil, and other raw materials used in the petrochemical industry such as propylene. The company also produces specialty products such as carbon black and anode charcoal. Since 2019, ADNOC Refining has been operating as a joint venture between ADNOC and the European energy companies Eni and OMV.
