Honeywell UOP wins US$1.6bn JPRC contract

HONEYWELL UOP has signed a US$1.6bn contract with the Jordan Petroleum Refinery Company (JPRC) to provide technology and equipment for the expansion of its Zarqa refinery.

The Zarqa refinery is around 35 km east of the Jordanian capital Amman and currently has a capacity of around 105,000 bbl/d. The expansion work will see this rise to around 120,000 bbl/d, as well as upgrading the facility to meet Euro V emissions standards on its fuel, a higher standard than is currently met by the refinery.

JPRC CEO Abdul Karim Alaween said that the expansion would help the company meet demand for vehicle fuel, which is currently rising by 3% annually.

Under the terms of the contract, Honeywell UOP will provide a variety of services, including manager licensor services, technology licensing, front-end engineering design consultancy, basic engineering design and training and startup services. The company will also provide catalysts and process equipment and technologies, including crude and vacuum distillation units, hydrotreating units, Polybed hydrogen purification technology, and units to produce high-octane vehicle fuels, including CCR Platforming, Penex, MinAlk, Merox and Selectfining units.

“Honeywell UOP has worked with JPRC since it was established in 1956, beginning with design services and technology licensing and the subsequent construction of its first refinery. We are especially grateful to be involved in the expansion of the Zarqa refinery, which will increase its volume and upgrade the quality of its petroleum products and support the further economic development of Jordan,” said Honeywell UOP president and CEO Rebecca Liebert.