Mott MacDonald has been appointed by Chennai Petroleum Corporation Limited (CPCL*) to provide engineering, procurement and construction management (EPCM) consultancy services for a proposed single point mooring (SPM) project that will improve the import of crude oil to its refinery.

CPCL operates a refinery in Chennai, India which has a capacity of 9.5 million tonnes per annum and the company plans to increase this capacity to 10.5 million tonnes per annum. To capitalise on this investment, CPCL also aims to install a SPM facility six kilometres offshore at about 28 metres depth connected with a 48 inch diameter, eight kilometre long sub-sea pipeline. The new mooring facility will allow very large crude carriers (VLCC) of 300,000 dead weight tonnes (DWT) capacity, which can carry up to two million barrels of crude oil, to berth and discharge, in all weather conditions.

Mott MacDonald’s oil, gas and petrochemicals team based in Kochi will lead the project with support from colleagues around the Mott MacDonald group to deliver this fast-track project due for completion by mid 2011.

Sam Mathew, Mott MacDonald’s Project Director said, “We are delighted to be awarded this prestigious project by CPCL, signifying a healthy upward trend in the oil, gas and petroleum market in India.”

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