Saudi-based Advanced Circular Materials Company (ACMC), a joint venture between Netherlands-headquartered Shell & AMG Recycling (SARBV) and local United Company for Industry (UCI), has invited global EPC/EPCM [Engineering, Procurement and Construction/Engineering, Procurement & Construction Management] contractors to prequalify for a metals reclamation project in the Kingdom. 

SARBV, as the lead partner of ACMC, is leading the tendering process for the supercentre, whch is aligned with the Aramco Namaat Industrial Investments Programme initiative that aims to build national industrial champions.

ACMC is developing a spent catalyst and gasification ash recycling supercentre at the Jubail Industrial Complex (Plaschem Park) to turn oil refinery waste into a domestic resource to produce ferrovanadium for steel alloying and high purity vanadium oxide for use in large scale energy storage technologies, according to details posted on SARBV's website.

SARBV is seeking experienced contractors with a proven track record in large-scale industrial projects, mainly in the field of metals and recycling technologies and have established setup in the Kingdom to execute the first phase of the project.

Phase 1 will process gasification ash generated by the Jazan Refining Complex to produce battery grade vanadium oxide and vanadium electrolyte for vanadium redox flow batteries. At nominal capacity, the plant will process 7,000 metric tonnes of vanadium concentrate per annum. The project is in the FEL 3 (FEED) conclusion phase and preparations are underway to start construction with commissioning expected towards the end of 2026.

Interested parties have been requested to confirm their interest in the pre-qualification exercise by 21 July 2024 via email to PT-Enquiry-KSA-Supercenter-Project (at) shell.com. The email shall include the company profile, specific and full Legal/Contracting name of the entity that will participate in this exercise, location and addresses of the Office, details of any part owners, if the entity is not 100% owned by the main parent company, and key contacts for this Entity who will be the focal point for this exercise. 

Phase 2 would expand the facility to process spent catalyst from heavy oil upgrading facilities to produce ferrovanadium for the steel industry and/or additional battery grade vanadium oxide. Phase 3 involves the installation of a manufacturing facility for Residue Upgrading catalysts.

In July 2022, SARBV and UCI announced the signing of an agreement with Aramco to construct and operate a world-class metals supercentre complex in Saudi Arabia.

(Editing by Anoop Menon) (anoop.menon@lseg.com)

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