sPeCIAL ArABAL - ALUMINIUM-Nachrichten – ALU-WEB.DE

ALUMINIUM INdUstry IN the GULf
© Qatalum
of the individual tasks involved for these main
contracting companies and also for their delegated
contractors down the line in meeting
the customers total plant requirements and
specifications.
Middle east projects
Fata EPC was EPCM contractor for the casthouse project at Qatalum
SNC Lavalin: Montreal, Canada-based SNC-
Lavalin is one of the leading engineering and
construction groups in the world and a major
player in the ownership of infrastructure, and
in the provision of operations and maintenance
services. The company is handling the
EPCM services contract for the Emirates Aluminium
(Emal) Phase II smelter expansion in
Al Taweelah, Abu Dhabi. The contract covers
the work to build a new aluminium facility,
including a 1,000 MW power plant and a 1.7
km-long potline, the longest ever built. Once
completed and fully operational in 2014, the
new facility will produce 525,000 tpy of aluminium
using an upgraded version of Dubal
DX technology, which allows for greater operating
efficiencies.
This latest contract followed SNC-Lavalin’s
successful completion of its EPCM mandate for
Phase I of the Emal smelter, which has a production
capacity of 800,000 tpy and included
the construction of a 2,000 MW power plant.
“SNC-Lavalin is a world leader in the design
and construction of aluminium smelters,
and we consider this new award as a clear acknowledgement
of the leading-edge technical
capabilities and experience we demonstrated
with Phase I of the project,” declared Riadh
Ben Aïssa, executive vice-president, SNC-
Lavalin Group. “Just as important, it reflects
the effort and importance SNC-Lavalin places
on maintaining long-term relations with our
clients. We value Emal’s relationship and trust,
and we are delighted with this new opportunity
to work together to build this landmark
project for the United Arab Emirates.”
Fata EPC: Fata EPC, a division of Italy/US
outfit Fata Hunter, was the EPCM contractor
for the casthouse build project at the Qatalum
primary aluminium smelter in Qatar, an equal
joint venture between Qatar Petroleum and
Hydro Aluminium of Norway. The casthouse
technology was supplied by Norsk Hydro delivering
an extrusion billet VDC capacity of
350,000 tpy and 275,000 tpy from 10 and 20
kg casters. Hycast hot metal alkaline removal
and in-line filters and degassers were installed
along with automatic casting sequencing. The
installation ensures that all equipment fumes
are treated by dust collectors.
In a parallel contract, Fata EPC also handled
work to build an anode baking plant at
the Qatalum facility with technology supplied
by Pechiney to provide a total plant capacity
of 368,000 anodes per year. The plant uses
seven fires with 116 sections and is fuelled by
natural gas with fume treatment employing
dry scrubbing. Storage provision was required
for 18,000 green anodes and 13,000 baked
anodes – and storage and retrieval is via automatic
crane and transfer.
Further, Fata EPC has also elaborated a series
of downstream projects in the aluminium
industry including others in the Gulf region,
such as the one currently in construction at
Oman Aluminium Rolling Company in Sohar.
As the main appointed EPCM contractor
to build the planned 160,000 tpy greenfield
facility, Fata EPC is managing the activities
involved to procure and install complete roll
plant systems to feature the latest available
technology in casting, rolling and finishing. The
new facility includes a Hazelett caster and a
hot rolling mill along with world-class cold
rolling and finishing equipment supplied by
Fata Hunter, the equipment division of Fata
SpA. For further project details, see report on
pages 34-37.
In Iran, Fata handled the second potline
expansion at the Almahdi Aluminium Smelter
in Bandar Abbas with key technology (provided
by Imidro). The plant’s Potline 2 comprises
two potrooms built 32 metres apart, each 750
metres long and 20 metres wide. A total of
228 pots, with 20 anodes per pot, employ
Dubal D20 cell technology, operating at 240
kA and 13.6 kWh/kg Al and using a fluid flow
alumina feeding system. Production capacity
is 147,000 tpy of aluminium.
Bechtel: Also in the Gulf, major EPCM
organisation Bechtel is extending its long
heritage of mega projects in the region by
managing the greenfield construction project
in Saudi Arabia for what is slated to be the
world’s largest aluminium smelter. The scope
of work involved in this USD4 billion project,
handled by Bechtel’s Mining & Metals division,
covers overall engineering, procurement,
and construction management.
The new smelter, a Ma’aden-Alcoa joint
venture, is the cornerstone of the Ras Al
Khair Minerals Industrial City, which will become
the country’s aluminium and phosphate
centre, north of Al Jubail in the Saudi Eastern
Province. This is part of a new integrated
USD10.8 billion aluminium complex, which
in addition to the smelter will include a mine,
alumina refinery and rolling mill. The smelter
facility will have a capacity of 740,000 tpy of
aluminium. Bauxite feedstock will be transported
via a purpose-built rail line from a new
mine at Al Ba’itha for refining and reduction
at Ras Al Khair. First commercial production
from the smelter and downstream rolling mill
is scheduled for 2013. For further project details,
see separate report on pages 46-47.
Again in the Gulf region, Bechtel’s Canada
operation has received a Letter of Intent (LoI)
from Aluminium Bahrain (Alba) to conduct a
Bankable Feasibility Study (BFS) for the smelter’s
planned Potline 6 expansion project, valued
at some USD2.5 billion. The study also
includes an economic analysis for the construction
of a fifth power station required for
the plant expansion. Alba’s Line 6 is expected
to produce an additional 400,000 tpy of aluminium
adding to its current 881,000 tpy, with
Dubal DX+ cell technology being used as the
basis of the study.
Bechtel has considerable specific industry
44 ALUMINIUM · 9/2013