Petrogal Porto Oil Refinery Expansion

Client: Petrogal

Location: Porto, Portugal

Industry: Fuels

Map showing the location of Petrogal Porto Oil Refinery Expansion

Executive Summary

Fluor helped the Porto Refinery, owned by Petrogal, a subsidiary of Galp Energia, to produce an estimated 2.3 million tonnes per year of diesel, gasoline and kerosene fuels and to meet European environmental regulations. We performed front-end engineering and design (FEED), engineering, procurement and construction for new and revamped units within the refinery and outside the baseline.

Project work for Galp Energia confirmed Fluor as a leading contractor in the southern European refinery market. The project team adopted a distributed execution model involving five Fluor offices and local engineering contractors. By developing a well-defined scope and baseline for each office, the team delivered the Porto Refinery project safely, on time and within budget.

Client's Challenge

Galp Energia's business goal was to increase production and utilization, while its operational agenda was to process increasingly heavier and more sour crude oil.

To achieve these goals, the work was performed in two distinct phases. In the first phase, we completed FEED, and in the second phase, engineering, procurement and construction.

The work involved new process units, new offsites and outside-baseline facilities and revamped units and facilities.

Fluor's Solution

Having previously built a naphtha hydrodesulfurization unit for Galp, we were awarded the FEED, full engineering and procurement and construction for the conversion project involving new process units, new offsites and outside baseline facilities, and revamped units.

Multi-office execution was led by the UK execution center, with significant assistance from professionals in the Madrid office. Regional knowledge and expertise was further increased by teaming with up to 11 local Portuguese contractor companies.

When completed, the refinery produced about 2.3 million tonnes per year of diesel, gasoline and kerosene fuels. Furthermore, it met the most up-to-date European environmental regulations.

Conclusion

Galp and the Porto area benefited from Fluor's work at the site that involved teaming with local contractors and professionals from Fluor's Madrid office.

During the phase where tie-in welds and revamps were carried out, many new employees were mobilizing to the project and working a demanding schedule to complete the program.

Fluor implemented a program to support the safe integration of new employees to the project. The successful program achieved more than 3.5 million safe work hours.

Project work for Galp Energia confirmed Fluor as a leading contractor in the southern European refinery market.

The Porto Refinery Conversion project received Fluor's 2011 Hugh Coble Project Excellence Award. The award is based on outstanding performance in several areas; including safety, value creation, and client and community relations.