Al Baleed Petrochemical Company, an Oman-based promoter of a major petrochemicals park planned in Salalah in the south of the Sultanate, has announced the signing of a contract with Japan’s Morimatsu for the engineering design of the complex.
Morimatsu, a specialist in the design and manufacture of industrial process equipment, will undertake the basic and detailed engineering design of the petrochemicals park comprising a hub of modularized process units – a first of its kind in Oman.
Announcing the signing of the contract on Friday, Al Baleed Petrochemical said in a post: “Today, Al Baleed Petrochemical Company had the honour of hosting the team of Morimatsu Company from Japan for an engaging and productive session. The discussions focused on enhancing collaboration in Basic and Detailed Engineering Design for Modularization of Process Units. Morimatsu presented innovative solutions and demonstrated their exceptional expertise.”
The Omani firm further noted: “This meeting underscored Morimatsu’s technical prowess and reaffirmed Al Baleed’s status as a key player in the petrochemical sector in Oman. Al Baleed’s visionary approach, commitment to excellence, and drive for innovation provides a solid foundation for meaningful partnerships. Al Baleed’s dedication to pushing industry boundaries sets a high standard, inspiring collaborators like Morimatsu to bring their best to the table.”
It marks the latest in a series of collaborative arrangements announced by Al Baleed Petrochemical with a number of prominent international firms, each tasked with the design and engineering of specific components of the petrochemicals park.
The hub itself is envisaged as an integrated petrochemicals complex that will utilize an abundance of methanol, ammonia and LPG currently produced at Salalah Free Zone for further processing into an array of high-demand chemical products.
A key component of this complex is a first of its kind Propane Dehydrogenation (PDH) plant utilizing locally produced LPG as feedstock. Last December, Lummus USA, a leading licensor of proprietary process technologies, was roped in to undertake the Front-End Design Engineering (FEED) study for the project.
Earlier in September, Conser, an Italian technology licensor, revealed that it had been selected by Al Baleed to help with the development of a petrochemical unit dedicated to the manufacture of maleic anhydride – a key intermediate in the production of biodegradable plastics.
Conser, a majority-owned subsidiary of Italian based sustainable solutions giant MAIRE, said the contract covers echnology licensing, the process design package and catalyst supply for a 50,000 tonnes per annum capacity plant.
Also envisioned for implementation in Phase 1 of the three-stage petrochemicals park project are units producing Formic Acid (85 per cent concentration), Acetic Acid, and Hydrogen Peroxide (35 per cent and 50 per cent concentrations).
According to Al Baleed, the petrochemicals hub seeks to diversify the economy, enhance local job creation, and promote sustainable development. By establishing a full petrochemical ecosystem, Al Baleed Petrochemical also seeks to reduce Oman’s reliance on imports for industrial chemicals, while also providing a substantial export opportunity, the company stressed.
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