Second phase OK'd for Madero Clean Diesel project

The second phase of the Madero Clean Diesel project at the Madero Refinery in Tamaulipas, Mexico is about to begin.

This $1 billion refining facility venture is a joint project of Fluor Corp. and Empresas ICA, S.A.B. de C.V., Mexico's largest infrastructure company. Phase II will include engineering, procurement and construction. ICA Fluor, Mexico's leading industrial engineering and construction company, will oversee construction.

The go-ahead for the second phase was issued by Pemex Transformación Industrial, a state-owned petroleum company in Mexico.

Fluor signed on for the project late last year. Representatives from the company will provide engineering, procurement, construction, commissioning and start-up services for the plant's two 25,000 barrel-a-day diesel hydrodesulfurization trains and facilities.

Later in the project, new hydrogen, sulfur recovery and sour water treatment plants will be installed, while an existing diesel hydrodesulfurization unit will be refurbished, and off-site and utilities operations already in place in the refinery will be integrated into the new production system.

"We are very pleased with the performance of ICA Fluor, and this award by Pemex demonstrates the trust and confidence in our joint venture to successfully execute this very significant clean fuels project at the Madero refinery,” Peter Oosterveer, Fluor’s chief operating officer, said. “Fluor and ICA Fluor remain fully committed to Pemex and our other clients in the Mexican market.”

The target date for the completion of the project, Pemex' inaugural clean fuels initiative, is the first quarter of 2018.