By Malini Hariharan
One more Middle East project appears to be on the move.
Abu Dhabi’s ChemaWEyaat is reportedly shifting its 1.5m tonnes/year cracker and derivatives project from the Khalifa Port and Industrial Zone in Taweelah, to Ruwais in the western part of Abu Dhabi.
ChemaWEyaat, the Abu Dhabi Investment Council (ADIC) and International Petroleum Investment co (IPIC) led joint venture, plans to use naphtha from the Takreer refinery at Ruwais for its first phase of projects, called Tacaamol.
“Khalifa Port and ChemaWEyaat agreed it would be better to put all the plants in one location, said a spokesman from the Abu Dhabi Ports Co.
“We both agree to have one petrochemicals complex in one area and the recommendation was to have it closer to the source of feedstock. This is the best option for Abu Dhabi and we are delighted about the land allocation to Chemaweyaat next to the Ruwais complex, the source of feedstock,” he said.
ChemaWEyaat has mapped out its plans for the Ruwais site, known as Madeenat ChemaWEyaat Al Gharbia but has yet to confirm that it is shifting from Taweelah.
Pic source: ChemaWEyaat
In a recent interview to ICIS chemical business, Khadem al-Qubaisi, managing director of IPIC, had said Tacaamol would be located at Taweelah.
A move to Ruwais could mean further delays. ChemaWeyaat had announced at the time of its formation in 2008 that the first phase would start up in 2013. But with construction contracts yet to be awarded that deadline is likely to be missed. Some news reports now say that the cracker is likely to be commissioned only after 2015.
This is the second project in the region that is likely to shift to a new site. A few months back Saudi Aramco had confirmed that a new location was being studied for its Ras Tanura project, a joint venture with Dow Chemical. Industry players expect the project to move to Al Jubail.