KUALA LUMPUR (Nov 20): Petroliam Nasional Bhd (Petronas)'s unit PRPC Refinery & Cracker Sdn Bhd has begun the second phase development of its fuel quality upgrading processing units at the Pengerang Integrated Complex (PIC).

It commissioned a consortium comprising CTCI Corporation and MIE Industrial Sdn Bhd as the engineering, procurement, construction and commissioning (EPCC) contractor for the job, it said in a statement today.

Under the contract, the consortium will carry out the EPCC of the Cracked Naphta Hydrotreating Unit, Isomerisation Unit, Tertiary-Armyl-Methyl-Ether Etherification Unit, four spherical tanks, one Internal Floating Roof tank, and other related works for the production of Euro5 fuel at the PIC.

The work will take 23.5 months to complete and the facilities are expected to be ready for start-up in the third quarter of 2019.

"The Euro5 emission standard imposes strict caps on pollutant emissions for motor vehicles, resulting in improved air quality and general well-being of the society at large.

"Petronas is the first oil company in Malaysia to produce Euro5 compliant petrol, reflecting our commitment in support of the government towards a greener Malaysia," said Petronas senior vice president and chief executive officer (CEO) of Petronas Refinery and Petrochemical Corp Sdn Bhd, Dr Colin Wong Hee Huing.

The US$27 billion PIC is the largest downstream investment ever undertaken by Petronas.

Developed on a single site of 6,242 acres, the PIC is supported by associated facilities, comprising the Pengerang Co-generation Plant, a liquefied natural gas (LNG) re-gasification terminal, a raw water supply project (PAMER), the Pengerang Deepwater Terminal, as well as centralised and shared utilities and facilities.