Total awards Technip a major contract to increase the conversion capacity of its Normandy refinery

Paris - Technip has been awarded by Total a turnkey contract worth about Euro 260 million to increase the conversion capacity of its Normandy refinery, located near Le Havre, France. The contract covers the engineering, procurement and construction of new units.

These new units include: a 2.4 million metric tons/year distillate hydrocracking unit (based on Axens technology) and a hydrogen production unit (using Technip’s technology). The hydrocracker will convert heavy fractions of petroleum into very low sulfur distillates, such as automotive diesel and kerosene for growing European markets and, as a result, enable the Normandy refinery to significantly reduce its output of heavy fuel oil. It will also produce high-quality bases for lubricants and specialty fluids. Technip will use the best available technologies for the design of the new units to minimize the impact on the environment.

Start-up of the units is scheduled for mid-2006.