DuPont provides tech for Dangote refinery

DUPONT CLEAN TECHNOLOGIES is to supply various proprietary technologies for the US$12bn, 650,000 bbl/d Dangote oil refinery in Lekki, near Lagos, Nigeria.

Once complete, the refinery will be the largest single train refinery in the world and amongst the top ten in the world overall by capacity. DuPont will supply a 27,000 bbl/d STRATCO alkylation unit, a 260 t/d MECS sulphuric acid regeneration (SAR) unit, MECS DynaWave suphur recovery unit (SRU) tail gas scrubbing technology, and BELCO EDV fluid catalytic cracking unit (FCCU) stack scrubbing technology. The technologies will help the refinery and its products to meet octane and emissions standards.

The alkylation and SAR units will allow the refinery to produce high octane, low-sulphur, zero olefin RVP alkylate, while the gas scrubbing technology will ensure the refinery meets global particulate and SOx emissions standards.

'We are delighted to be supporting Dangote on a project that is of such critical importance to creating economic growth and opportunity in Nigeria,” said Eli Ben-Shoshan, global business leader at DuPont Clean Technologies. “Our aim is always to enable our customers to meet their emissions targets easily and efficiently with the help of cost-effective technologies and services that offer them value and flexibility while minimising the impact on the environment.”

Various other companies have been already been announced as technology suppliers for the refinery, including UOP, which amongst other things will provide the fluid catalytic cracking process and processes to produce petrol and diesel, and MAN Diesel & Turbo, which will provide two axial compressor trains.

Alhaji Aliko Dangote, Dangote Industries president and CEO, has previously told the media that the refinery will have the capacity to meet all of Nigeria’s vehicle fuel needs. The country, despite producing 2.12m bbl/d (2015 figure), has limited refining capacity and currently imports 80% of the refined products it needs. The Lekki refinery, which is being built on reclaimed swamp, has been delayed several times since it was announced, but is currently scheduled to begin operations in Q3 2019. As well as the refinery, the complex will include petrochemical and fertiliser plants and a subsea pipeline.