The Egyptian projects operation and Maintenance Company have succeeded throughout 13 years to reach a great stature after the long achievements it made, Nabil Afifi EPROM company chairman talked exclusively to the Middle East Observer newspaper about the company’s vision and plans, interviewed by Angy Essam.
What the exact role is EPROM Company performing in the Egyptian petroleum sector?
EPROM is the largest Operation and Maintenance Management Company in Egypt and the North of Africa, ranking as the first Egyptian General Petroleum Cooperation “EGPC” owned company to professionally cover both domains of maintenance and operation for oil refineries, petrochemical plants, fertilizer factories, and gas plants as well as the management of marine terminals. EPROM has proven its capabilities and competencies in a highly competitive business and achieved a recognizable market share as a modern company providing integral, top notch operation & maintenance management service. We provide reliable integral technical support services to existing projects aiming to improve project productivity, efficiency and throughput while exceeding customer expectations and aspiration. Backed up with its competent calibers and extensive experience in the field of project construction, commissioning and start-up EPROM is the ideal choice for clients seeking integral support throughout all project phases.
What is EPROM’s vision?
EPROM as a customer oriented company is set to attain a leading position as an operation and maintenance contractor, within Egypt, the Middle East and the African continent offering state of-the-art Management techniques. Our goal is to build a strong regional portfolio and gracefully expand in the African depth achieving the same level of customer satisfaction that we have locally attained since company foundation.
What is your company’s mission?
EPROM, as the first Company in Egypt to provide full-fledged operation and maintenance management services to various large scale, values the complete satisfaction of its clients as a main goal and therefore, provides quality services and supplies top of the line performance, which in turn maximises profitability to clients. Complies with company sophisticated HSEQ management system in all clients’ plants. Engages highly competent personnel, geared-up with a flexible training scheme that guarantees the continual updated technical knowledge. EPROM is committed to its clients to conduct its responsibilities safely and efficiently conforming to the international standards of Health & Safety (OHSAS 18001:2007), Environmental (ISO 14001:2004) and Quality (ISO 9001:2008) standards. We view HSEQ aspects as the driving force of our services and projects towards technical excellence. EPROM is committed to a continual improvement process in which easily auditable trail findings of its services are tracked, rectified and improved.
What are EPROM’s major projects?
EPROM is managing five major projects. First is the Middle East Oil Refinery (MIDOR) which is the most advanced refinery in Africa and is being classified as the sixth in Mediterranean, based on technological complexity; reaching a standard of 11.5, according to Nelson Complexity Index. The refinery’s designed capacity is 5 million tons/year; equivalent to 100000 bbl/day. Second is the Egyptian Linear Alkyl Benzene (ELAB) Company is a Petrochemical Plant located in Amerya area, West Alexandria, EGYPT with a production capacity of 100, 000 Tons/Year. It produces Heavy Alkyl Benzene (HAB), but (LAB) the Light Alkyl Benzene remains its most important product common as a raw material for the manufacture of biodegradable detergents. Third is Alexandria mineral Oil Company (AMOC) which EPROM is providing Operation and Technical Services since Year 2006 , AMOC Plant is located at El-Max Area, west Alexandria, AMOC has two complexes for Gas Oil Maximization and Lube Oil & Wax. Fourth ESTYRENICS (Egyptian Styrenics Production Company) which EPROM is managing its operations and maintenance since 2010. ESTYRENICS Company is a Petrochemical Plant located in Dekhila Port, West Alexandria, EGYPT with a production capacity of 200,000 metric tons per year (MTA) of polystyrene. The plant has two parallel lines; SWING line produces HIPS or GPPS while HIPS line produces HIPS only. Finally ERC Refinery which is a 4th generation technology refinery operating at a 4.2M.Tons/Year capacity and scheduled 2017 for commissioning. EPROM has signed a contract with ERC to manage the operation and maintenance of their facilities located in Cairo. We are managing currently a massive project that worth 30 billion Egyptian pounds which we have already executed 80% of it and will be finished completely by September 2016.
Is EPROM a totally Egyptian company or there are foreign partners?
EPROM is completely owned by the General petroleum corporation, there are no any foreign partners
What are the economic benefits of the new Suez Canal, especially in the petroleum sector?
The new Suez canal will create new industries related to the place there which will uplift the Egyptian economy like shipbuilding industry and some petroleum industries, in addition to creating huge spaces that will be used as stores to petroleum materials. Also there will be power plants in the new Suez Canal and petrochemical complex.
What are EPROM’s future plans?
We target as per the recommendations that were taken in Sharm al-Sheikh economic forum to develop the petroleum refineries related to Assuit, Suez and El Nasr companies in addition to the expansions that we will make in Midor refineries to increase the production to reach 75000 bbl/day. At the End of the year EPROM will hold seven ISO certificates to be the only company in the Middle East that has 7 ISO certificates By the year 2017 EPROM will manage the production of 95 million barrels yearly which will represent 55%_60% of the total Egyptian petroleum materials.
