PEMEX Aromatics Complex

Petróleos Mexicanos (PEMEX) contracted Fluor to lead design for one of the world's largest aromatics complexes. Fluor performed engineering, procurement, expediting, inspection and field technical assistance for this mega-project.

Client's Challenge

Located within PEMEX's large-scale petrochemical complex at La Cangrejera, the new facility is designed to produce 5,940 barrels per day of benzene, 3,040 b/d toluene, 1,190 b/d o-xylene, 5,290 b/d p-xylene, 670 b/d mixed xylenes, 1,450 b/d hexane and 300 b/d heptane. All of the products are produced from catalytic reformate.

Fluor's Solution

Fluor's scope of work involved a number of major processes including reformate splitting, sulfolane extraction, clay treating, BTX fractionation, p-xylene crystallization, xylene isomerization, toluene hydrodealkylation, and using Xylenes Plus technology. In addition, fractionation facilities for hexane and heptane solvent production, an off-gas compression system, product run tankage and transfer facilities and interconnecting process and utility lines were included.

Fluor also conducted training seminars for the PEMEX engineers to prepare them for plant start-up operations.

Conclusion

Fluor's work was completed on-schedule and within budget. In 1982, the PEMEX aromatics complex commenced operations.

In future years, Fluor was retained again by PEMEX to conduct an environmental/industrial hygiene/process safety compliance audits per the specific requirements of the Mexican Federal Environmental Regulatory Agency. The site was comprised of 20 operating process units for hydrocarbon fractionation and production of aromatics and ethylene and derivatives.