Knocking on Ghana

SKEC meets with Ghanaian officials to discuss additional building projects

SK Engineering and Construction Co. officials met with Ghanaian officials led by the Energy Minister to discuss construction projects in Ghana when they visited Seoul Nov. 7.
The Ghanaian minister thanked SK E&G officials led by President Yoon Woong-sok for their good job in their country in completing various construction projects, including the plants to produce LPG containers, the project to expand the capacity of an oil refinery, the construction of RFCC plant and a pipeline construction project, among others, since 1992.
In the Q3, the company posted 2,006.2 billion won in sales: 343.3 billion won in overseas projects, 878.2 billion won in domestic construction taking up 44 percent of projects completed in the Q3, 344.7 billion won in civil works(17 percent) and 399.4 billion won in domestic plant construction(20 percent).
Following the successful completion of U.S. projects, the company clinched an oil terminal project worth $40 million from the Petroleum Authority of Thailand in September,
1991, on a turnkey basis. The company won a high mark for winning such a complicated project in competition with world-renowned companies.
In 1998, the company changed its name to SK Construction and has emerged as a global firm after winning a $1.6 billion Madero oil refinery complex project in Mexico; It made the list of prime contractor, which is known as an officer's club in the world. The company completed $2.6 billion oil refinery complex in Mexico, also which was followed by the Madero project.
Throughout its accumulated technology and experience in the domestic market, the company has been venturing overseas and is currently working on a number of international oil and gas projects worldwide.
SKEC's services extend from project feasibility studies, front-end engineering package development, detailed engineering procurement and construction, to final commissioning, start-up and operations and maintenance services, for grassroots, expansion, and revamp projects.
The company is currently undertaking 12 projects in 7 countries, solidifying its position as a strong plant contractor in the world.
The company was the first Korean builder to advance into Easter Europe for construction projects. The company completed a desulphurization facility in Romania, showing to Eastern Europe what a Korean builder can do in terms of construction technology and plant engineering.
On May 8, a ceremony was held to mark the completion of the FCC Feed Hydrotreating Unit for Arpechin Refinery Complex in Romania participated in by a host of dignitaries led by Arges Gov. Ion Carstois, President Gheorhe Constantinescu, CEO of Petrom, the owner of the project and SKEC Vice Chairman Son Kwan-ho and Korean Ambassador Kim Dae-shik. SKEC launched the construction of the project in 2004 and completed it in March 15 two months ahead of the schedule.
The $46 million project for building the FCC Feed Hydrotreasting Unit located in the Arpechim Refinery Complex in Petesin City located on the northwestern outskirts of Bucharest, the capital city of Romania, involved engineering procurement, and construction of a desulphurization facility capable of treating 25,000 barrels of crude oil lowering sulfur content to less than 500 ppm.
A SKEC official said, "The successful completion of the project not only demonstrates the Korean contractor's technological level and also has set up a bridgehead in the Eastern European construction market
SKEC had to grapple with numerous problems before making the feat of completing the project as Korea's first builder to do so in the Eastern European region. One of the problems, the company faced was the prejudice against an Asian contractor. But the company overcame the problem with its ability to complete the project two month ahead of schedule. nw

(from left) Vice Chairman of SK E &C Son Kwan-ho. A view of the FCC Feed Hydrotreating Unit for Arpechim Refinery Complex in Romania completed by SK E&C.