ICA Fluor, the industrial construction joint venture of Empresas ICA, S.A.B. de C.V. and Fluor Corp., has signed a USD 1.1 billion refinery upgrade contract with Mexican state-owned oil company Petroleos Mexicanos’ (Pemex) natural gas, refining and petrochemicals unit, Pemex Transformacion Industrial (PTI). Mexico City-based ICA Fluor is the leading industrial engineering-construction company in Mexico.

Once the upgrade project is completed, the refinery’s processing capacity will increase from 315,000 barrels per day (bpd) to 340,000 bpd. The project’s mechanical completion is scheduled for the second quarter of 2018.

ICA Fluor will supply detailed engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) services for the utilities and offsites that are part of the Tula Refinery upgrade in Hidalgo, Mexico.

This contract results from the joint efforts of Pemex Transformacion Industrial (formerly Pemex Refinacion) and ICA Fluor to continue with the modernization process of the Tula Refinery.

“This project is a major step to increase Pemex’s competitiveness,” said Juan Carlos Santos Fernandez, director general of ICA Fluor. “We are proud to be in the position to support them in the development of the strategic projects required by the country, providing Mexican engineering and construction resources,” he said.

Pemex Transformacion Industrial operates six refineries in Cadereyta, Madero, Minatitlán, Salamanca, Salina Cruz and Tula.