KNPC Clean Fuels Program

A Fluor joint venture was selected in a public tender as the most competitive bidder to design, construct and commission KNPC's Mina Abdullah Package 2 (MAB2) Clean Fuels project. Fluor began detailed engineering and design in 2014 and started construction in 2015.

The MAB2 package facility is comprised of a world-scale hydrogen plant (steam reformers), sulfur block (SWS, ARU, SRU) and utilities, off-sites and non-process buildings. It also covers modifications to the existing Mina Abdullah refinery units.

Client's Challenge

KNPC wants to increase productivity at the facility while delivering products that comply with state-of-the-art environmental standards. KNPC's Clean Fuels project involves upgrading the Mina Abdullah and Mina Al Ahmadi refineries to increase capacity.

This project is being executed on the three KNPC owned and operated refineries in Kuwait: Mina Al Ahmadi (MAA), Mina Abdullah (MAB) and Shuaiba (SHU), all within 10 kilometers apart.

As part of the Clean Fuels project, KNPC plans the retirement of the processing facilities at SHU and a major upgrade/expansion of MAA and MAB to integrate the refining system into one complex with full conversion operation. Overall process capacity will increase from 736,000 BPSD (after SHU retirement) to 800,000 BPSD.

Fluor's Solution

Fluor and its joint venture partners are executing the project in an integrated joint venture with Fluor's Amsterdam office as the lead office. Other Fluor offices performing substantial part of the works are Fluor New Delhi, Fluor Al Khobar and Fluor Kuwait. Fluor's Houston office performed the front-end engineering and design (FEED). This project is Fluor's largest project currently under construction in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC).

Sourcing of materials and equipment is conducted on a global basis, while providing favorable opportunities for Kuwaiti and GCC companies to participate in the project.? Construction began in January 2015, with a peak construction force of 12,000 on site.

In 2018, the American Society of Safety Engineers Kuwait Chapter awarded the project with its 2018 Gold Award in HSE Excellence. The project has achieved 70 million work hours without a lost-time incident. The strong safety culture at site was achieved by active engagement at all levels of the organization and a relentless focus on risk identification and mitigation. ?

In November 2018, Fluor announced the project's successful generation of first steam, a milestone marking the completion and turnover of the first utility units.??

In August 2020, Fluor announced that the joint venture successfully achieved final provisional turnover of the facilities. This significant milestone marks the completion and successful handover of MAB2 facilities to KNPC.

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Conclusion

With the award of this project, Fluor continues its long-standing relationship with KNPC to increase the productivity of the facility, while adhering to stringent environmental standards.?