August 9, 2010 – ABB won a $20 million contract from Saudi Petrochemical Company (Sadaf) to implement a power factor correction and power management solution at the company’s Jubail manufacturing complex. ABB’s solution will help Sadaf improve its network efficiency and, accordingly, significantly reduce the electricity losses while improving the stability of its power supply. Owned jointly by Saudi Basic Industries Corporation (Sabic) and Shell Chemicals Arabia LLC Sadaf was established in 1980 and began commercial operation in 1986. The company operates from one of the world's largest and most competitive petrochemical complexes in Al Jubail industrial zone on Saudi Arabia's eastern coast.
Sadaf's six, world-scale manufacturing plants produce over 4.7 million metric tons of basic petrochemicals a year, primarily sold to customers in Asia Pacific. “Petrochemical facilities are very energy intensive and any variation in power factor will result in higher losses and reduced transmission capacity,” said Veli-Matti Reinikkala, head of ABB’s Process Automation division. “By providing reliable power factor correction solutions and infrastructure, we are helping our customers such as Sadaf to optimize the productivity and efficiency of their operations as well as realize significant cost savings.”
ABB’s contract is a lump sum turnkey project which includes the construction of a new substation for installation of power factor correction equipment, the supply of a power management solution to be integrated along with existing high and medium voltage electrical system into the plant’s electrical grid, as well as the installation and commissioning activities. The power factor correction solution will consist of nine banks of correction equipment totaling 109,8 MVAR.
ABB’s Process Automation division delivers integrated automation solutions for control, plant optimization, and industry-specific application knowledge and services to help process industry customers worldwide meet their critical business needs in the areas of operational profitability, capital productivity, risk management and global responsibility. These industries include oil and gas, power, chemicals and pharmaceuticals, pulp and paper, metals, minerals, cement, marine and turbocharging. ABB is a leader in power and automation technologies that enable utility and industry customers to improve performance while lowering environmental impact. The ABB Group of companies operates in around 100 countries and employs about 117,000 people.
