Burns & McDonnell's Power, Refining Projects Propel it to $17 Billion in Active Projects

Researched by Industrial Info Resources (Sugar Land, Texas)--Earlier this year, Engineering News-Record named Burns & McDonnell Incorporated (Kansas City, Missouri) its top engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) firm for Power Industry and Transmission projects, and among the top 10 for Refinery and Petrochemical projects. A quick look at the company's project slate bears this out. Industrial Info is tracking nearly $17 billion in active projects involving Burns & McDonnell, including more than $6.8 billion that are nearing or under construction.

Click on the image at right for a graph detailing the top 10 U.S. states for Burns & McDonnell projects, by investment value.

One of the largest projects featuring Burns & McDonnell is changing ownership: the $600 million Carlsbad Energy Center in northern San Diego County, California, which is set to be completed in late 2019. The simple-cycle peaking facility is expected to generate 600 megawatts (MW) from six General Electric (NYSE:GE) combustion turbines, each with a capacity of 100 MW. It will replace NRG's nearby, 869-MW Encina facility. For more information, see Industrial Info's project report.

NRG Energy Incorporated (NYSE:NRG) (Princeton, New Jersey) recently sold its controlling stake in NRG Yield to Global Infrastructure Partners, an international private equity firm, for about $1.35 billion, according to The San Diego Union-Tribune. The Carlsbad Energy Center is included in the sale, and Global Infrastructure Partners redubbed NRG Yield as Clearway Energy Incorporated. NRG will continue to oversee Carlsbad's construction, while the Encina Power Station will continue running until Carlsbad is fully operational, according to the Union-Tribune.

Also set to be completed by early next year is EDF Renewable Energy's (San Diego, California) $165 million Stoneray Windfarm in Woodstock, Minnesota. The 100-MW facility will comprise 39 turbines from Siemens AG (Munich, Germany). Although wet weather caused some delays over the summer, the project is back on track and the turbines are rising, according to the Pipestone County Star. For more information, see Industrial Info's project report.

Burns & McDonnell is performing EPC services for two natural gas-fired plants that are set to wrap up later in 2019: Entergy Corporation (NYSE:ETR) (New Orleans, Louisiana) $210 million Reciprocating Unit Addition at the Michoud Peaking Station in New Orleans, Louisiana, which will generate 128 MW from seven Wärtsilä reciprocating engines, and NRG Energy's $320 million Canal Power Station in Sandwich, Massachusetts, which will generate 330 MW from a GE dual-fuel combustion turbine. For more information, see Industrial Info's reports on the Michoud Peaking Station and Canal Power Station projects.

Along with the new-build projects Burns & McDonnell is performing engineering services for Duke Energy Corporation's (NYSE:DUK) (Charlotte, North Carolina) $150 million conversion of its power station in Belews Creek, North Carolina. The project, which is part of Duke's broader plan to reduce carbon emissions 40% from 2005 levels by 2030, will convert a pair of opposed-fired, dry-bottom boilers to burn 50% natural gas and 50% coal natural gas. For more information, see Industrial Info's project report.

Although the Power Industry dominates Burns & McDonnell's project slate, the EPC contractor is playing a role in more than $1.3 billion worth of projects in the Petroleum Refining Industry, all of which are nearing or under construction. Three projects that are set to be completed at various times next year include:

• Valero Energy Corporation's (NYSE:VLO) (San Antonio, Texas) $300 million alkylation unit addition at a refinery in Houston, Texas, which is expected to convert butanes and pentenes into 13,000 barrels per day (BBL/d) of alkylates for a higher-value gasoline blendstock; see project report
• Phillips 66's (NYSE:PSX) (Houston) $250 million addition of an isomerization unit at its Lake Charles Refinery in Westlake, Louisiana, which will produce 25,000 BBL/d of high-octane gasoline; see project report
• Marathon Petroleum Corporation (NYSE:MPC) (Findlay, Ohio) $220 million addition of a hydrotreater unit at its refinery in Mandan, North Dakota, which will process 15,000 BBL/d and meet Tier 3 specifications to reduce sulfur content; see project report

Another project is set to wrap up in early 2020: Valero's $400 million addition at its Saint Charles Refinery in Norco, Louisiana, which will produce 25,000 BBL/d of sulfuric acid alkylate from fluid catalytic cracker-derived olefin feedstocks, to increase octane blending in the facility's gasoline pool. For more information, see Industrial Info's project report.

Industrial Info Resources (IIR), with global headquarters in Sugar Land, Texas, six offices in North America and 12 international offices, is the leading provider of global market intelligence specializing in the industrial process, heavy manufacturing and energy markets. Industrial Info's quality-assurance philosophy, the Living Forward Reporting Principle™, provides up-to-the-minute intelligence on what's happening now, while constantly keeping track of future opportunities. Follow IIR on: Facebook - Twitter - LinkedIn. For more information on our coverage, send inquiries to info@industrialinfo.com or visit us online at http://www.industrialinfo.com/.