SNC-Lavalin (TSX: SNC) has been awarded a contract by the Chuquicamata Division of Codelco Chile to provide overall project management, as well as detailed engineering, procurement and construction management (EPCM) services, for the upgrade of the concentrators at their Chuquicamata mine in Chile. This award follows the initial feasibility study completed by SNC-Lavalin in the first half of 2012.

The scope of the EPCM contract is to upgrade the secondary and tertiary pebble crushing system at their processing facility, allowing it to process 104,000 tonnes of ore per day (2,200 tonnes per hour with 80% utilization). This will be achieved by improving feeders, conveyors, classifiers and crushing units. The total capital cost of the scope under SNC-Lavalin’s management is estimated at US$120 million.

“This project is an excellent example of a sustaining capital project for an existing client,” said Dale Clarke, Executive Vice-President, Global Mining & Metallurgy, SNC-Lavalin Group Inc. “Codelco is one of our most valued and long-standing clients, and we appreciate the confidence they have placed in us for the delivery of key sustainable projects in their capital investment program.”

Detailed engineering and early construction work on the pebble crushing system are already in progress. The project is scheduled for mechanical completion by the end of the third quarter of 2013.

Rockwell Automation, Inc. (NYSE: ROK) today announced it has completed the acquisition of the medium voltage drives business of Harbin Jiuzhou Electric Co., Ltd. The purchase enables Rockwell Automation to design, engineer and manufacture medium voltage drives and power solutions for a broader base of Chinese and other customers throughout the Asia-Pacific region. Jiuzhou Electric has successfully served as Rockwell Automation’s contract manufacturer for seven years.

“Our medium voltage drives business is one of the fastest growing units at Rockwell Automation,” said Mike Laszkiewicz, vice president, general manager, Rockwell Automation power control business. “Based on our successful relationship with Jiuzhou Electric, we look forward to providing our customers with the products, service and solutions they’ve come to expect, and grow the business with our combined expertise.”

Harbin Jiuzhou Electric Co., Ltd. focuses on research and development, manufacturing, sales and services of high power, electrical and electronic equipment. Jiuzhou was established in 2000 and is registered in Harbin.

Fluor Corporation (NYSE: FLR) has announced that Shell selected the firm as its engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) contractor for Shell’s carbon capture facility for its flagship Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) Quest project at the Athabasca Oil Sands project in Alberta, Canada. The Quest project is being built on behalf of the Athabasca Oil Sands Project joint venture owners (including Shell, Chevron and Marathon Oil) with support from the Canadian and Alberta governments. Fluor booked the undisclosed contract value in the third quarter.

“Shell’s confidence in choosing Fluor as its EPC contractor for this first-of-its-kind CCS project is a testament to our long-term, successful business relationships established by building Shell projects in Canada and throughout the world,” said Peter Oosterveer, president of Fluor’s Energy & Chemicals Group. “Fluor has more than two decades of experience with carbon capture technologies and the Canadian oil sands industry, so this unique opportunity will demonstrate our project execution abilities to bring clean energy to the marketplace. The use of CCS technology will allow our customers to address their carbon footprint and sustainability needs.”

The Athabasca Oil Sands Project produces bitumen, which is piped to Shell’s Scotford Upgrader. Fluor will provide full EPC services using its patented and innovative 3rd Gen Modular Execution approach for a 1.1 million tonne-per-year carbon capture facility at the Scotford Upgrader near Edmonton, Alberta. Captured carbon dioxide will be sent about 80 kilometers from the facility via underground pipeline to an underground storage site. Fluor has been providing preliminary services and front-end engineering and design for Quest since 2009.

Braskem Idesa S.A.P.I. awarded to a joint venture formed by Odebrecht (40%), Technip (40%) and ICA Fluor (20%) a contract worth more than US$ 2.7 billion (around €2.1 billion) for the engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) of a petrochemical complex to be built in the Coatzacoalcos/Nanchital region, in the Mexican state of Veracruz.

The petrochemical complex will include the following facilities:

• An ethane-based ethylene cracker, producing 1 million tons per year, using Technip proprietary technology.
• Two high density polyethylene plants using INEOS Innovene™ technology
• A low density polyethylene plant using BASEL Lupotech technology.
• Storage, waste treatment and utility facilities, including a 150 MW combined cycle power and steam co-generation plant.
• A multimodal logistics platform for shipment of 1 million tons per year of polyethylene via bulk train, bulk truck or bagged.
• Administrative, maintenance, control room and ancillary buildings.

The JV project team will execute the contract in several operating centers mainly located in Nanchital and Mexico City (Mexico), Rome (Italy), Lyon (France) and Rotterdam (The Netherlands). The project is scheduled for completion, with the plant ready for start up, in June 2015.