UK-Mexico partnership wins nitrogen project

Mexican oil giant Pemex has awarded a US$150 million contract to Mexican engineering company Techint SA de CV and its technology supplier, Manchester based Costain Oil, Gas and Process

Mexican Oil giant Pemex has awarded a US$ 150 million contract to Mexican engineering company Techint SA de CV and its technology supplier, Manchester based Costain Oil, Gas and Process.

UK Trade and Investment, the government organisation that provides integrated support services for UK companies engaged in overseas trade, has given Costain support and advice throughout the project bidding process, which started in 2000.

The 25 month project due for completion in 2007 involves the installation of the world's largest nitrogen rejection unit at the Pemex Cuidad Pemex gas plant in Tabasco, Mexico.

The facility has a capacity of 630 million SCFD (standard cubic feet per day).

Nitrogen has been used for enhanced oil recovery (EOR) in the offshore Cantarell oilfield in the Gulf of Mexico for many years and it will continue to be used in oil recovery activities in the region.

In the next few years nitrogen will start to break through into the associated gas production.

The unit is designed to remove the nitrogen as it returns to the surface in the natural gas production.

The plant enables Pemex to maintain industrial natural gas quality standards.

The Costain portion of the contract is substantial involving its proprietary cryogenic process for nitrogen rejection, overall process engineering and supply of the core gas separation equipment.

As the main contractor, Techint will construct the facility, provide detail engineering and will supply the remaining equipment, including the gas turbine/compressors.

Based at the British Embassy in Mexico, the UK Trade and Investment team has provided valuable information on decision makers in the market, as well as advice on local business etiquette and local market knowledge.

Charles Sweeney, managing director of Costain Oil, Gas and Process , said: "Costain is pleased to be working with the Techint on this key nitrogen rejection project in Mexico.

It follows similar projects supplied by Costain to ENI in Pakistan, BG in Tunisia and E.ON in the UK and firmly establishes Costain as the foremost global supplier of nitrogen rejection plant.".

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