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The much-awaited Dangote oil refinery slated for Lekki area of Lagos will be operated by the Honeywell technology, sequel to the approval of Dangote group.
The proposed oil refinery situated in Ibeju-Lekki, Lagos is expected to be functional by the first half of 2018, with an estimated production template of about 500,000 barrels per day.
With this capacity, the refinery is described as the largest single refinery in Africa. A statement made available to The Guardian yesterday said, “Honeywell technology has been selected to run the largest refinery in Africa.
Dangote Oil Refining Company selected UOP technology for a world-scale integrated refinery and petrochemical plant to be built in Lekki, near the capital of Lagos in southwestern Nigeria.”
UOP LLC, a sister company of Honeywell technology, however stated that its process technology, catalysts and proprietary equipment would form the basis for the largest refinery in Africa, which is aimed at reducing Nigeria’s dependence on imported fuels and petrochemicals.
Senior Vice-President and General Manager of UOP’s Process, Technology and Equipment business, Pete Piotrowski, said: “UOP has been designing state-of-the-art refineries and petrochemical plants for more than a century, so we are well-equipped to help Nigeria develop a massive new installation to meet its domestic needs,”
According to him, “This project will enable Dangote to improve Nigeria’s oil refining capabilities, reduce the country’s dependence on imports, and work to revive and transform the Nigerian economy.”
In addition to processing crude oil to produce high-quality gasoline, diesel and jet fuel that meet Euro V specifications for reduced emissions, the group said the new facility would produce world-scale quantities of polypropylene, a key petrochemical used in plastics and packaging.
Honeywell however stressed that UOP technologies at this facility would include: the UOP Resid Fluid Catalytic Cracking process to produce transportation fuels from crude oil. It will also supply propylene, which will be used as a feedstock for polypropylene.
Others include: The CCR Platforming™ process to produce high-octane gasoline blending components; the Unicracking™ process to produce diesel; the Penex™ process to produce high-octane gasoline; the crude distillation unit (CDU) design, which will be provided by UOP’s alliance partner, Process Consulting Services To complement the technology licensing and design services, the UOP said it was working with Dangote to provide catalysts, adsorbents and proprietary equipment for the project.
The Dangote Industries’ operations director for petroleum refining, Mr. George Nicolaides, had earlier assured that the site is being cleared, the plant is at detailed engineering level with estimations that it would be completed and start operation by 2018.
He said the Dangote group got a $3.3 billion loan with 12 Nigerian and foreign lenders to build the refinery as well as a petrochemical and fertilizer complex costing a total of $9 billion.
“Supplying the local market is the primary objective. Naturally we can move product to the region. The government is being very supportive, very enthusiastic about this project. We are not looking for or wanting any particular subsidies.” Nicolaides added.
