MHI to be designer, general director for construction of methanol plant in Volgograd
VOLGOGRAD. August 2 (Interfax) - GTM One (an AEON subsidiary), Denmark's Haldor Topsoe, and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Engineering signed a licensing agreement on Friday on the provision of technology for the planning, construction, and operation of a methanol plant at Khimprom's site in Volgograd, an Interfax correspondent reported from the signing ceremony.
GTM One head Alexander Shvedov, Haldor Topsoe's licensing manager Michael Teusch, and the deputy head of MHI Engineering's business department, Toshiyuki Nakamura, signed the document.
"This is a very significant agreement that kicks off the second stage of the project. Preliminary engineering was done during the first, which we completed a month and a half ago," Shvedov told journalists.
Haldor Topsoe will provide technology for methane production and rights to use it for the elaboration of design documentation, for which Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Engineering will be responsible before becoming the general contractor for the construction and ramp-up of the plant, he said.
"The cost of the design stage is estimated at $35-40 million, this is investors' funds. The total cost of the first stage of the project is estimated at $900 million (up to 50 billion rubles)," Shvedov said.
The design stage will end and construction will begin in H2 2020, he said.
Teusch, in turn, said that Haldor Topsoe will provide advanced and tested technology for the plant.
"The production of methanol is environmentally safe: the raw materials are not only hydrocarbons, but also carbon dioxide, so the emissions are minimal," he said.
Nakamura said that MHI Engineering will also provide equipment for the plant and train personnel.