The contract for the construction of the Sinjar Cement Plant, located near to Mosul in Ninevah Governate in northern Iraq, was signed between the government of Iraq and the Romanian company Uzine Exportimport in 1981. The project endured a long period of construction and work was not completed until 1990. Despite being designed with two dry-process 3200t/day OPC clinker production lines, (giving it a capacity of 2Mt/yr), its contractual production capacity was never acheived. The original Gulf War (1990-91) caused production at the plant to be stopped almost as soon as it had begun in 1990.
No cement was produced again at the site until 1993. In 1994 the Northern State Company of Cement started to improve the plant. It operated it at reduced production capacity for the best part of a decade before suffering damage and being the subject of sabotage during the US-led invasion in April 2003. Following the damage it underwent limited repair and maintenance work. Its electrical power supply was limited to 10MW and between 1995 and 2006 it only produced an average of 0.23Mt/yr, around a tenth of its capacity.
Call for investors
The Iraqi Ministry of Industry and Minerals invited possible investors to rehabilitate and operate the plant.As a result of this invitation a group of Turkish and Iraqi investors achieved an agreement with the ministry to present a rehabilitation programme for the works to be executed in the factory.
This group of investors (the client) agreed with the government that they would rehabilitate the plant according to modern cement industry technology, manage and operate the plant on their account against a share of the accomplished production for the negotiated period of time. At the end of time the plant will be transferred back to the Iraqi government. This is known as the Refurbish, Operate, Transfer (ROT) investment concept. The client has chosen Austroplan Austrian Engineering GmbH in collaboration with the Turkish company Perkam Dis Ticaret Ltd Sti. as consultants for the implementation of the project.
From the perspective of the investors the advantages of rejuvenating this particular plant were clear. There is a huge local demand for cement, the availability of trained and experienced manpower, readily available local raw materials, adequate investment legislations, favourable terms of agreement and a very good chance of a solid return on their investment.
However, the project also presented some unique challenges. These are related to the general political environment, uncertainty surrounding future development of Iraq, problems with the safety of personnel and reluctance of specialists to work or live in Iraq. The plant is also fairly remote.
Main targets
The main targets of the project are: 1. To reach a plant production capacity of 1.8Mt/yr as quickly as possible; 2. To operate the plant continuously at the targeted production capacity after completion of the rehabilitation; 3. To minimise the environmental impact of the plant by use of modern equipment.
Within this, a number of smaller targets have been identified including identifying 'weak points' in the processing technology as a rapid way to improve the plant, supplying the required power for plant operation by the installation of a new captive power plant and modernising the quality-control system for a product quality according to applicable standards during continuous operation.
The project will also establish a mode of quarry operation that allows long-time mining in the area and optimal use of the resources available and reduce energy consumption by minimising all production losses and the use of modern energy-efficient equipment. This will enable it to hit various environmental targets. The project will also be used to enhance the skills of the workforce in order to allow the other changes to be implemented successfully.
Scope of refurbishment project
- Two cross-bar coolers (3500t/day each)
- Six cooling air fans for each cooler
- ESP filter for each kiln line
- 10 new jet-pulse type bag filters
- 4 raw mill fans
- 4 raw mill / kiln clean gas fans
- 4 preheater (ID) fans
- 2 clinker cooler clean gas fans
- MV or VF drive units for main crusher, raw mills, raw mill, recirculation fans, ID fans, clinker cooler clean gas fans and cement mills
- 22 slip ring drives for constant speed including all necessary liquid starters
- 12 variable speed drives
- Dosing belt weighers
- Belt weighers
- Flow meters
- Truck weighing bridges
- 3 bucket elevators
- 2 kiln shell scanners
- 2 infra-red kiln camera system
- 2 high temperature camera systems
- Fuel oil supply system for kiln line 1
- High pressure filter/pump station
- Preheater station
- Valve train for calciner burners
- Kiln burner and valve train for kiln burner
- 50 shock blowers
Progress so far
Initially a site investigation and detailed inspection of the existing plant was carried out by expert representatives from Perkam and Austroplan. The findings of these inspections were incorporated into the ROT programme report for the client and the Iraqi government. The report detailed the existing situation at the plant, the recommended targets of the rehabilitation and details of the work necessary to acheive these.
Austroplan has also conducted on-site management and supervision of repair and maintenance works, maintaining cement production on one line while preparing tenders for new equipment and further rehabilitation works. With its partners it has evaluated the received offers and provided assistance in contract negotiation and contract award with suppliers.
Current status
Currently the plant operates a single line at a reduced capacity, between 2000t/day and 2500t/day. The plant's total cement production is entirely sold out.
Various parts of the former installation and machinery are being assessed for use as spare parts and reuse during the rehabilitation. Austroplan is also preparing the site for the erection of new equipment when it arrives.
Work to be carried out
As the project moves forward Austroplan will finalise the preparation of tenders for civil and erection works, assisting with contract negotiation in both cases and providing on-site management and supervision of construction work. The single production line will remain in operation throughout the project. It will supervise the commissioning process of the rehabilitated plant, providing relevant experts and specialists at key points. A summary of the main equipment to be installed is presented above right.
There is also a large amount of maintainance to be completed on site, including the complete renewal of all lubrication systems for the raw and cement mills, repair and possible replacement of wear lining in all ball mills, general maintenance of hoists, conveyor belts, chutes, dedusting pipes and homogenisation/standardisation of filters and fans.
Austroplan anticipates that the plant should realise its full 1.8Mt/yr capacity for the first time following commissioning in the second quarter of 2013.
Conclusion
The ROT concept for the rehabilitation of old cement plants is a good way to utilise unused production capacity as long as the terms and conditions are fair for both investors and owners. Operation, repair and maintenance of such plants requires a flexibile approach to working on site. Exact travel scheduling for foreign specialists is important and a good collaboration with the client supports a quick decision-making process. A deep knowledge about the local conditions is needed in order to be successful in this region.
