Project Profile
Value: US$9-14 billion
Location: El Aromo, Manta, in the province of Manabi, Ecuador
Capacity: 300,000 bpd (1st - 200,000bpd, 2nd- 100,000bpd)
Area: 700ha
Start-up year: 2017 (delayed due to lack of investors)
The 300,000 bpd refinery project, in the province of Manabi, is a joint venture between PetroEcuador and PDVSA Ecuador. The Pacifico Eloy Alfaro Refinery and Petrochemical Complex (Pacific Refinery) is being constructed at El Aromo, Manta, in the province of Manabi, Ecuador. It is expected that the project will increase the country\'s crude oil treatment capacity to 500,000 barrels per day. Initially, the project will process Ecuadorian crude and is expected to subsequently process crude produced from the Ayacucho Block 5, which is being jointly developed by Ecuador and Venezuela. Ecuador and Venezuela signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) for the implementation of the project in August 2007.
An environment monitoring centre near Manta was opened in July 2008. Refineria del Pacifico Eloy Alfaro (RDP-CEM) was formed for the implementation of the project, followed by the official launch of the project. China National Petroleum Corporation (CNPC) and Industrial and the Commercial Bank of China (ICBC) signed a letter of intent with Ecuadorian authorities to finance the project in February 2012. CNPC entered a framework agreement with the Ecuadorian authorities to hold a share in the construction of the complex in June 2013. The project site covers an area of approximately 700ha, and the Pacific refinery will have an ultimate crude processing capacity of 300,000bpd. Construction of the complex will be carried out in two phases. The first phase will have a nameplate capacity of 200,000bpd, which will be increased by 100,000bpd in the second phase. Up to 150,000bpd of oil processed from the first phase will be used for local consumption, while the remaining 50,000bpd will be exported. The refinery and petrochemical complex will implement deep conversion technological processes and produce 87,700bpd of petrol, 171,400bpd of diesel, 7,400bpd of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), 6,000bpd of jet fuel, 2,500bpd of benzene, and 4,600bpd of xylene, as well sa 100t per year of polypropylene, coke and sulphur.
Associated facilities
As part of the project, a 93km aqueduct is being constructed with an investment of $260m, to supply water to the project site from the La Esperanza dam. Carbon steel pipes measuring 48in in diameter and 12m in length are being imported from China for this purpose. The aqueduct will have a capacity to supply 5,500m3 per hour of raw water, of which the excess 2,000m3 per hour of water from the facility will be supplied to the municipalities of Manta, Montecristi and Jaramijó. The facility is expected to come online in February 2016. Construction of the access roads and a preliminary camp at the site for 840 people was completed in 2014. The project will further involve the construction of marine facilities, a desalination plant, offshore facilities, storage tanks for gasoline and diesel, and storage area for crude and petrochemical products.
Operators:
Refineria del Pacifico Eloy Alfaro RDP-CEM (a JV of Petroecuador and PDVSA):
PetroEcuador: 51% interest
PDVSA Ecuador: 49% interest
Contractors:
SK E&C: front-end engineering and design (FEED) study for the project under a contract worth US$260m)
WorleyParsons: Contract for project management consultancy at the US$12000 million in November 2011. At an initial stage, WorleyParsons will provide an integrated project management team, located in Houston, to oversee the front-end engineering and design of the project, and assist with the selection of engineering, procurement and construction contractors. In the second phase of the project, WorleyParsons will oversee the EPC contractors and be responsible for construction management of early activities at the Manabi site
ACOTECNIC Cía: Environmental impact study
Consultoracav: Consulting on the environmental impact study
Instituto Oceanográfico de la Armada (INOCAR): Consulting on the environmental impact study
Norberto Odebrecht: Contract to construct the aqueduct and also perform the early site works for the project.
AURA: Contract to provide its AuraPortal business process management (BPM) system for automation of the refinery\'s processes
Sub-contractors:
Technoconsult: Subcontracted by SK E&C to perform the basic engineering and pre FEED activities