Work on the $4.2 billion Bapco Modernisation Programme (BMP) began last month with a ground-breaking ceremony in Sitra, Bahrain.

The ceremony that marked a key milestone in the project was led by Oil Minister and Bapco chairman Shaikh Mohammed bin Khalifa Al Khalifa, who was accompanied by senior officials from National Oil and Gas Authority (Noga).

Noga signed a $4.2-billion engineering, procurement, construction and commissioning contract last year with a consortium led by TechnipFMC. The BMP’s primary aim is to expand the capacity of the existing Sitra oil refinery from 267,000 barrels per day (bpd) to 360,000bpd.

The modernisation would also improve energy efficiency and allow valorisation of the heavy part of the crude oil barrel (bottom of the barrel), enhancing products and meeting environmental compliance.

The BMP will be executed on a lump-sum turnkey basis and includes the following: residue hydrocracking unit, hydrocracker unit, hydro desulphurisation unit, crude distillation unit, vacuum distillation unit, saturated gas plant, hydrogen production unit, hydrogen recovery unit, sulphur recovery unit, tail gas treatment unit, sour water stripper unit, amine recovery unit, bulk acid gas removal unit, sulphur solidification unit and sulphur handling facilities.

The project is expected to be completed in 2022.