Given its unique portfolio of engineering on the one hand, and asset lifecycle services on the other hand, Bilfinger’s main focus in downstream is to drive further productivity per molecule, says ALI VEZVAEI, executive president of Bilfinger Middle East

Bilfinger, a leading global player in engineering and process plant services, feels that in today’s more than ever competitive and volatile market with increasingly stringent environmental regulations, agility, flexibility and productivity are the key to delivering margins and staying on course.

"That is why optimising assets’ life cycle return, lowering maintenance spent, optimising the turnarounds and stretching the run rate are amongst the main areas of focus for the operators and of course for us at Bilfinger," says Ali Vezvaei, executive president of Bilfinger Middle East.

Realising these with standard activities, however, is becoming increasingly marginal in existing plants, unless the industry unlocks the latent potential leveraging integration, process optimisation and digitalisation.

Saudi Arabia’s downstream is no exception to this trend. With unparalleled scale, specific feedstock dynamics and a broad range of assets in terms of age and complexity, the Saudi refining and petrochemical sector is a great example of excellent potential, he notes.

Bilfinger employees at work

"That is where we at Bilfinger strongly focus and spend significant resources. With technologies, solutions and services that are specifically geared to addressing the Opex hemisphere, Bilfinger is a trusted lifecycle partner of choice," he says.

Ranging from high-end consultancy and engineering to cracking furnaces and steam boilers, process package modifications all the way to advanced maintenance and turnaround solutions and innovative digital services that drive productivity and overall equipment efficiency, Bilfinger engineers and maintains plant performance.

Given its unique portfolio of engineering on the one hand, and asset lifecycle services on the other hand, Bilfinger’s main focus in downstream is to drive further productivity per molecule. Whether by way of advanced engineering or repairing and optimising the cracking furnaces, performing highly efficient turnarounds, providing new and more efficient steam solution or addressing modifications that are aimed at improving certain performance or efficiency parameters, the company is serving its customers with a broad range of offering and capabilities.

Recently, digital services have also been rolled out in Saudi Arabia and those add a new dimension to how Bilfinger could add value to its clients’ operation, he points out.

Referring to the company’s relationship with petrochemical major Sabic, he says: "With several decades of local presence in the kingdom, and nearly 20 years since we first started serving Sabic and its affiliates, the list of projects is several years long."

From cracking furnace re-tubing in various sites to boiler revamps and replacements, construction of refrigeration units in an ammonia plant, all the way to rotating equipment maintenance as well as installation and commissioning, Bilfinger has continued to deliver to its commitments to Sabic, says Vezvaei.

On environmental compliance for the downstream sector, he says it is an increasingly important issue in an industry that thrives on scale and capacity; but requires innovation to move forward sustainably.

This is one of the fundamental aspects in both project development as well as production operations, particularly given the increasing pressures on regulators to demonstrate effective intervention. That said, the lack of commercially viable solutions, the motivation and more importantly the sustainable ability of the asset owners to address the environmental issues remain under pressure.

The BCAP product

A good example here is the CO2; waste at a first glance and value when one looks closer and deeper. This strategic molecule could actually help unlock a value stream that is not only environmentally relevant, but also commercially motivating.

The CO2 eco-system however, requires a great deal of innovation around capture, purification and most importantly utilisation. Sabic and Aramco are driving valuable efforts in this space. Both are committed to innovating solutions conducive to utilising CO2, where Sabic has commercialised a path, in which CO2 is utilised to enhance the production of chemicals and Aramco’s Converge emerges as an innovative solution to produce high performing polyols.

The industry needs to build on this momentum and expand the efforts across GCC, he says. Ultimately, a CO2 network connecting various sources and sinks would enable a much wider utilisation and unlock potential in both up and downstream.

Bilfinger’s focus on environmental solutions roots back to efficiency as the company’s DNA. Because of that, the company’s view to sustainability is actually pivoting around three main elements:

-Increasing efficiency, thereby reducing the carbon footprint at the feedstock side. Here Bilfinger’s highly efficient steam solutions, boilers, waste heat recovery, heat reclaimer and so on are worth mentioning;

-Reducing the emissions in every step of the process. Bilfinger’s special Low-Nox burner design and fabrication delivering SCR-like performance, the flue gas desulphurisation solution and of course CO2 capture and treatment are front and centre; and

-Addressing the waste-water treatment and Zero Liquid Discharge, through innovative technologies and global partnership.

Vezvaei says: "We are witnessing an era in kingdom’s industrial development that is associated with drive for efficiency, optimisation and integration. Looking at more than 100 assets just in the hydrocarbon industry itself and the priorities we talked about here, the opportunities to squeeze some more productivity and create additional value for our customers are unparalleled."

Bilfinger plans – as always - to do this safely, systematically and sustainably. On the integration side, the company builds upon its extensive engineering and pipeline expertise on one hand and plant modifications on the other hand.

"On the Opex spent, we will continue to deliver to our customers the benefits of our BMC, BTC and BCAP. Leveraging our unique digital offering combined with asset life cycle knowledge and experience, we assist our customers to Make it Work," he adds.