Project Profile
Value: US$1.5 billion
Location: Mohammedia, Morocco
Capacity:270,000tpa (Bitumen Plant)
Startup Year: 2011 (Bitumen Plant)
The Samir Mohammedia is a medium sized,medium complexity refinery with the capacity of 8.25 million tons/annum & 165,000 bbl/day. It contains the following units:
Atmospheric Distillation Unit
Vacuum Distillation Units
Hydrocracker, (Chevron Lummus Global)
A Visbreaker unit, (Shell)
A diesel hydrotreater, (UOP)
Solvent De-asphalting Unit
Hydrogen plant,
Sulphur unit
Lubes Plant
Bitumen Blowing Unit - 80,000 t/y
Wax Unit
Bitumen Plant
The project will see the construction of a bitumen plant, including storage tanks, and an HGV filling station. There will be two tanks of 5,500 m³ capacity are included in the scope of the plant for storing the bitumen. Bitumen is a highly viscous and elastic organic liquid composed of a complex mixture of chemical compounds. The plant produces 40 / 50 grade road-paving bitumen and has a capacity of 270,000tpa. Work on the project began in January 2010 and was completed in July 2011. The project was estimated to have cost US$ 23m.
The SAMIR bitumen plant is based on Biturox, a process technology developed by the Austrian engineering company Pörner Ingenieurgesellschaft. Biturox makes use of the oxidation process in producing bitumen polymers. Pörner has built more than 35 Biturox licence plants across the world.
Biturox technology can produce bitumen from less expensive crudes. Residues from the distillation process can be blended with other refinery bottoms for optimising feed compositions. The feedstock compositions can be further processed through the controlled reactor system.
The Biturox process efficiently uses utilities such as steam, air and water. The conventional distillation process of bitumen production requires proper crude blends and therefore offers less flexibility.
Operator:
Societé Anonyme Marocaine l\'Industrie du Raffinage (SAMIR): Operator with 100% interest
Contractor:
Pörner Group will: General contractor, construct this plant in Mohammedia, Morocco as a “Lump sum turnkey” project. This means that Pörner will not only erect the Bitumen plant but also include all deliveries and services required for the project within its scope of responsibilities. (November 2009)