The Bapco Modernisation Program (BMP) represents a major expansion and upgrade of the existing Bapco Refinery. It will increase Bapco’s capacity from 267,000 to 380,000 barrels per day (bpd), and allow the company to be more efficient and competitive in the modern market. BMP will replace some of the oldest and least efficient units at the Refinery, and will operate alongside the other remaining viable units. BMP will also require some changes and development at the Sitra Tank Farm, Sitra Wharf and the transfer pipelines between the Refinery and the Sitra facilities.

The strategic objectives are:

• Refinery Configuration and Gross Margin – A revised configuration shall allow for higher throughput, improve the product slate by converting more bottom of the barrel into high value products, and increase gross margins with the objective of remaining competitive under a wide range of prices and market scenarios.
• Energy Efficiency – BMP shall improve energy efficiency and lower the Energy Intensity Index (EII) of the Refinery by installing energy efficient new crude and process units.
• Environmental Compliance – All new units shall function in compliance with applicable local environmental regulations as well as World Bank/IFC guidelines.

From the outset, the facilities and units that constitute BMP have been designed to be in full compliance with Bahraini legislation as well as in line with international guidance requirements. BMP will usher in a new era for Bapco and indeed for the whole of Bahrain. As such, it is our vision and mission to ensure that the facility is designed and constructed in a manner that is beneficial to the Kingdom for generations to come.

The BMP will be undertaken in the vicinity of the existing Refinery. In addition, BMP will involve some changes and developments in the Sitra Tank Farm, Sitra Wharf and the transfer pipelines between the Refinery and Sitra facilities. Site preparation was completed for a laydown area located south of the refinery.

The majority of construction workers will be housed in existing permanent workers’ accommodation facilities located close to the Refinery. Other workers are to be housed in secure and managed temporary worker accommodation that will be set up on a plot of reclaimed land near the Sitra Tank Farm. All worker accommodation areas shall be provided with proper security management and will adhere to Bapco’s prequalification criteria for labour working conditions that are based on local and international regulations, such as World Bank/International Finance Corporation (IFC) & International Labour Standards on Occupational Safety & Health (ILO) guidelines.

The oil and gas sector is the largest contributor to the national GDP. BMP is expected to further contribute to Bahrain’s economy by serving as an important source of exports and foreign exchange revenue. As one of the largest industrial projects in Bahrain’s history, BMP will enable and stimulate related productive activities and lend major stimulus to the local service sector. BMP will also have a major beneficial impact on the development of the national economy.

Bapco’s EHS policy integrates occupational health, industrial safety and environmental safety standards. Detailed mitigation measures have been outlined in the Environmental and Social Impact Assessment (ESIA) and other supplementary studies undertaken for the BMP. Implementation of these measures will be closely monitored both internally and through regular auditing of construction activities by a third-party consultant.

Bapco is committed to the protection of both land and water resources. Limited and minor activity will be undertaken in the marine environment close to the Sitra Wharf, and therefore, minimal impact on marine ecology is predicted. Once operational, BMP will not affect the current effluent characteristics, however it will lead to a reduction of effluent volumes being discharged into the marine environment.

The upgraded Refinery will introduce state-of-the-art, efficient technology which aims at improving emissions and in ensuring that all national air quality standards are met. It will achieve approximately 50 per cent reduction in SOx emissions. BMP will monitor all emissions and the results will be reported to the national environmental regulator, that is, the Supreme Council for Environment (SCE).

Bapco is committed to ensuring minimal disruption to local communities and residents, which include minimising noise generation. During the construction phase, the noise sources are mainly from construction activities, increased vehicle movements and operation of construction equipment. Noise levels during the construction phase will not have a significant impact on local residential communities as residential areas are some distance away from major construction activities. Some elevated noise levels are anticipated at the two existing worker camps in Ma’ameer and Ras Zuwaid industrial areas. Noise monitoring is being conducted during the construction phase, and results are being reviewed by a third-party consultant. A Noise Monitoring Plan is in place and takes into account some of the sensitive receptors surrounding BMP sites including worker accommodations. The implementation of this plan follows a requirement of World Bank/IFC & ILO guidelines.

A Traffic Management Plan (TMP) has been developed to actively manage traffic throughout the entire construction phase. The TMP will be achieved through the development of project management procedures which will focus on pragmatic risk assessment and controls required to safely and efficiently undertake work. This will be reviewed and approved by industrial stake-holders, Directorate of Roads at the Ministry of Works and Directorate of Traffic at the Ministry of Interior.

The Learning & Development Department is responsible for ensuring that all technical training that is required by the Bapco workforce will be of the highest quality to enable a fully trained and competent workforce to safely and efficiently operate and maintain all components of the retained and modernised refinery. It will be delivered internally to those within the existing Refinery and BMP via the TechnipFMC/Tecnicas Reunidas/Samsung Joint Venture (TTSJV) or its sub-Contractors, the Licensors, Vendor Equipment companies or other third parties.

In addition, the BMP training team is responsible for a Programme that will provide opportunities for approximately 50 of Bapco’s Bahraini employees to visit the TTSJV Operating Centers in Rome, Italy, Madrid, Spain and Seoul, South Korea for a six week assignment. The visit to these locations is expected to help them gain knowledge of project management execution methodologies as well as an understanding of what the TTSJV companies are doing through the engineering, construction, precommissioning, commissioning and start up phases specifically in refinery operations, maintenance and within certain engineering disciplines. The BMP training team of L&DD is also responsible for ensuring that several corporate social responsibility activities will be maximized during the Construction phase. Some of the activities to be carried out by the TTSJV and its subcontractors will include the employment of Bahrainis, and the training of a significant number of young Bahrainis in technical and craft skills.

Transparency is critical to Bapco. As such, Bapco has publicly disclosed a number of reports pertaining to BMP that may be of interest to the general public.

A Community Grievance Mechanism provides a framework for addressing community enquiries, concerns and complaints regarding BMP.

Furthermore, Bapco has established various channels of communication to encourage the general public to voice their comments and queries.

These channels include the following:
Hotline: 80007778
Email: enquiries@bapcobmp.com