Bechtel-led coalition, Shell sign deal to decarbonise two facilities in Egypt

A Bechtel-led coalition has signed on Monday an agreement with energy giant Shell to decarbonise two facilities in Egypt on the sidelines of the EGYPS 2023 exhibition taking place in Cairo. The coalition includes Egyptian state-owned ENPPI, and PETROJET.

Under the agreement, the coalition will establish a unified power system between the onshore gas processing plant of the West Delta Deep Marine (WDDM) at the Burullus gas fields off the coast of Egypt and the Egyptian Liquefied Natural Gas (ELNG) export terminal in Idku, east of Alexandria.

Bechtel, ENPPI, and PETROJET will carry out the Idku Energy Hub project by establishing a one power hub concept, integrating the electrical power systems at the WDDM and ELNG, as opposed to having two separate systems. The project aims to increase the power saving and GHG abatement benefits of unifying the electrical power systems of the onshore plants.

It seeks to boost the power saving and greenhouse gas (GHG) abatement benefits of unifying the electrical power systems of the onshore plants. The synergies will involve optimisation of the number of running gas turbine generators, modelling the most efficient operating mode for both plants, reducing GHG emissions and economising the fuel consumption in the entire hub.

“By Unifying the power system of the two facilities that will eliminate the gas turbines by a generator which will accordingly eliminate emissions. So, we are just reducing emissions for the Idku hub.” Karim El-Dessouky, Bechtel Egypt country manager, told Amwal Al Ghad English.

This project is part of a wider programme between the Bechtel-led coalition and the Egyptian Ministry of Petroleum and Mineral Resources with the aim of decarbonising existing oil and gas facilities across the North African country and deliver on its climate change strategy.

The agreement was signed by Khaled Kacem, vice president and country chair of Shell Egypt; Mohamed Abdelaziz, Enppi chairman; Waleed lotfy, chairman and managing director of PETROJET; and Karim El-Dessouky, Bechtel Egypt country manager.

Last November, the Egyptian Natural Gas Holding Company (EGAS), Shell Egypt, and Petronas awarded a front-end engineering and design (FEED) contract to the coalition during the 27th UN’s climate conference (COP27) hosted in Sharm El Sheikh. Under the contract, the coalition was awarded to study a proposed unified power system between the onshore gas processing plant of the WDDM gas fields in the Mediterranean Sea and the ELNG in Idku. The study aimed to assess implementation of a zero-flaring system at the ELNG in Idku.