Electricité de France (EDF), TotalFinaElf and Texaco have signed an agreement to proceed with the development of a cogeneration unit, producing electricity and steam, at TotalFinaElf’s refinery in Gonfreville l’Orcher, France.

EDF, TotalFinaElf and Texaco will hold respective interests of 50%, 25% and 25% in the planned facility. The total investment is estimated at 230 million euros (around FRF 1.5 billion).

The cogeneration unit will operate continuously and will produce 375 metric tons per hour of steam and 260 MW of electricity which will mainly supply the refinery and the neighbouring petrochemical complex operated by AtoFina, a subsidiary of TotalFinaElf.

EDF will be responsible for engineering and construction and will market the plant’s electricity output. Work is scheduled to begin in the Autumn, with commissioning of the unit anticipated for the second half of 2003. The plant will be operated by the Gonfreville refinery.

The facility will be designed to be supplied, in a second phase, by a gasification unit. This unit, for which Basic Engineering Design has already been carried out, would transform heavy oil bottoms from the refinery into hydrogen-rich synthesis gas using Texaco’s proprietary gasification technology under license. Phase 2 procedures and schedule are currently being studied.

The decision to go ahead with the cogeneration unit, follows the signing by the three partners of an agreement in June 1998 to conduct a feasibility study. The project will be both energy efficient and environmentally-friendly.