BUA, Axens sign deal in France for BUA’s 200,000bpd refinery

The BUA Group and Axens of France have signed an agreement in Versailles, France, opening the way to construction of the 200,000-bpd refinery of BUA Group.

The agreement, which was signed before President Emmanuel Macron and the french minister delegate for foreign trade and economic attractiveness Franck Riester, was appended to by the BUA group chairman Abdul Samad Rabiu and Axens CEO Jean Sentenac, as part events of the #Choosefrance 2021, organised under the auspices of the France-Nigeria Business Council with President Macron and Minister Riester.

The #Choosefrance events saw French and Nigerian CEOs gathered in Versailles, all leaders in their sectors (industry, energy, agrifood, transport, tourism, health, telecommunications, etc.), reaffirmed their ambition to imagine together future partnerships that will strengthen the economic ties between France and this absolutely essential agreement “opens the path for the next phase of the project.” Axens is the technology licensor of most of the process units of the refinery located in Akwa Ibom state, an oil producing state in Nigeria’s oilrich Niger Delta region.

Garriga told our newspaper that “on June 28 in Versailles and in the presence of Macron, BUA and Axens signed the agreement that opens the path for the next phase of the project.

“This milestone allows BUA to proceed with the selection of the EPC [engineering, procurement and construction] contractor and the construction of the refinery.

“The overall project is progressing smoothly and ahead of schedule, with a very good collaboration between the parties,” the Axens spokesperson said.

Axens Group, France based global energy technology solutions provider was awarded the supply of process technologies for the BUA Group’s 200,000 bpd greenfield refinery and petrochemicals plant in Akwa Ibom State. In Januplete

range of solutions for the conversion of oil and biomass to cleaner fuels, production and purification of major petrochemical intermediates, all of natural gas’ treatment and conversion options. The offer includes technologies, equipment, furnaces, modular units, catalysts, absorbents, and related services. The company covers the entire value-chain from feasibility study to unit start-up and follow-up throughout the entire unit cycle life.

Abdul Samad Rabiu, BUA chairman had stated his preference for Axens, saying investing in a multibillion-dollar refinery project, especially given that there is a bigger private plant by the Dangote Group: “Western technology are better for complex projects. We went for Axens of France because of its advanced technology licenses, basic engineering, catalysts and absorbents, proprietary equipment, training and technical services.

The BUA boss said the parties have gone into contracts with some of the best technologies in the world. You know Chinese technolAfrican