New Joint Venture A Step Closer To Delivering One Of Middle East's First Over-the-Fence Gas Supplies
Air Products is to ship a cold box, key equipment for an air separation
unit (ASU), to reach the port of Abu Dhabi at the end of February 2008.
This shipment is the main stage of a project by the joint venture
between the Abdullah Hashim Group (AHG) and Air Products to build,
operate and maintain a new ASU and a hydrogen production facility for
Emirates Float Glass Company (EFG) in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.
The new plant will be the first over-the-fence gas supply in the
Industrial City of Abu Dhabi, and one of the first in the Middle East.
The newly set-up UAE joint venture between Air Products and Abdullah
Hashim Group combines Air Products' technology and the regional
know-how and experience of the Abdullah Hashim Group, and will deliver
projects following Air Products' globally recognized standards for
operation and maintenance.
The cold box is the core element of an ASU and enables the air to be
cooled so that it can be separated into different gases. The cold box
and other cryogenic equipment are being manufactured at Air Products'
facility in Acrefair, North Wales, UK.
"We are very excited to bring this project one step closer," explains
Richard Boocock, vice president, Tonnage Gases, Equipment & Energy,
Air Products Europe & Middle East. "We bring extensive worldwide
experience in designing, constructing and operating ASUs, and will
provide globally proven in-house nitrogen cryogenic distillation
technology. Our partner, AHG, has unrivalled Middle East project
management expertise and extensive liquid gases back-up capabilities in
the gulf region."
"Our joint venture enables us to offer the highest standards of nitrogen and hydrogen supply safety, reliability, product purity and power efficiency," adds Khalid Hashim, managing director of AHG.
Air Products has operated a helium and cylinder gases filling and
distribution facility in the Jebel Ali Free Zone in UAE since 1990, and
strengthened its presence in the Middle East with the opening of its
office in Doha, Qatar last year.
"With leading positions in the Middle East in key markets such as LNG,
GTL and refineries, we are now looking at expanding our presence in new
sectors -- and this new contract illustrates that our core skills can
be applied in many different industries," said Boocock.
"We are proud to be part of a project of such strategic importance to both Emirates Float Glass Company and the United Arab Emirates' industrial development. This project supports the growing high demand from the construction market in the UAE," adds Hashim.
Source: GlassOnWeb
