Egypt has officially started work on expanding its Midor refinery, adding to a list of downstream projects begun recently, amid huge political and economic uncertainties. Minister of Petroleum and Mineral Resources Sharif Isma’il has laid the foundation stone for a project to expand crude distillation capacity at the Midor refinery in Alexandria from 100,000 b/d to 160,000 b/d.
The capacity increase will help Egypt reduce its reliance on transport fuel imports, which have been rising recently in line with growing consumption. In particular, the expansion will double Midor’s diesel capacity from 41,100 b/d to 82,200 b/d, and almost triple gasoline capacity from 25,600 b/d to 72,200 b/d. Egypt’s total refining capacity amounts to 767,000 b/d at nine refineries, but total output has lately averaged 505,000 b/d. (CONTINUED - 521 WORDS)
