China National Chemical Engineering Corporation (CNCEC) and Iraq’s state-owned South Refineries Co (SRC) on 15 April signed a contract to develop the 300,000 b/d Fao refinery near the under-construction Fao Grand Port in Basra. Iraq also hopes to develop a 3mn t/y petrochemicals complex at the facility in a second phase.
CNCEC subsidiary Hualu Engineering & Technology signed a heads of agreement (HoA) with SRC for the project in early 2022 (MEES, 7 January 2022), and in March Iraq’s cabinet advanced the project (MEES, 1 March) following Shell’s decision to suspend talks on the now-defunct 1.5mn t/y Nebras ethane cracker (MEES, 16 February). (CONTINUED - 211 WORDS)