BASF SONATRACH

BASF SONATRACH PropanChem S.A.

BASF SONATRACH PropanChem S.A. is a company within the BASF group, a joint venture owned by BASF Española S.L. (51%) and SPIC (49%), a subsidiary of SONATRACH, an Algerian oil and gas company. It was established on January 20, 2000, to carry out the construction and operation of a propane dehydrogenation plant (PDH) at the BASF production center in Tarragona.

The plant was commissioned in January 2003 and supplies propylene to other companies in the chemical complex, primarily for the production of polypropylene. Propane, the raw material, is imported from Algeria through the SONATRACH company.

Internships and Master's Thesis at BASF SONATRACH PropanChem

BASF SONATRACH PropanChem offers students from the URV Master's Degree in Chemical Engineering the opportunity to carry out an internship period, as well as the Master's Thesis at its propane dehydrogenation plant. The Master's Thesis will be based on real cases from the company and can be conducted in different areas:

• Processes and Technology

  - Modeling of plant unit operations to improve energy efficiency and operating costs.

• - Basic engineering studies to assess the impact, limitations, and requirements of new projects affecting the plant.

• - Studies to increase plant production capacity by identifying bottlenecks in the installation.

• Asset Management

  - Equipment reliability analysis (based on process data, past actions, and maintenance plans).

• - Study of recurrent failures of mechanical and instrumentation equipment.

• - Energy integration.

• - Balances and energy optimizations in heat exchangers and furnaces.