Wood delivering digitally enhanced engineering for STEP project in Algeria

Wood is delivering digitally enhanced front-end engineering design (FEED) services for two new units to be built as part of a polypropylene plant at the Arzew industrial complex with Sonatrach Total Entreprise de Polymères (STEP) in Algeria.

The contract includes engineering services for a new propane dehydrogenation (PDH) unit and polypropylene (PP) unit as well as associated utilities and infrastructure for the Arzew site. Once completed, the plant is expected to produce 550,000 tons of polypropylene per year.  Polypropylene, a thermoplastic, is used for many applications such as consumer goods, medical supplies, and parts for the automotive industry.

Mike Collins, Wood’s Executive President, Projects, said: “This continues our strong track record in delivering robust, future-ready engineering design solutions on large complex petrochemicals projects globally and further strengthens our strategic relationship with Total and Sonatrach which spans over six decades.

“We are uniquely placed to leverage our engineering design expertise and partner relationship with AVEVA ensuring best in class digitally-enabled solutions for STEP to ultimately improve efficiency, predictable project delivery and safety.”

With digital futureproofing at the core of the project, Wood is deploying AVEVA’s suite of engineering and data management platforms to combine its domain and engineering expertise to create a full digital twin of the polypropylene plant throughout its life cycle.

The FEED contract is being executed by more than 100 people across Italy, France and India and is expected to be completed by the end of September 2021.

STEP is a joint venture company between Sonatrach SPA and Total SA.