Shell Inaugurates 8,000-Ton Cold Bitumen Storage Tank in Dubai

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Researched by Industrial Info Resources (Sugar Land, Texas)--In a recent development, Shell Bitumen, one of the world's largest bitumen suppliers and a subsidiary of Royal Dutch Shell Plc (NYSE:RDS.A) (The Hague, Netherlands), inaugurated a new cold bitumen storage tank in Dubai's Jebel Ali Free Zone. The economic zone is supervised by the Jebel Ali Free Zone Authority (JAFZA) (Dubai, United Arab Emirates). The tank has a storage capacity of 8,000 tons and is one of the largest in the zone. With the inauguration of the tank, Shell's bitumen storage capacity at Jebel Ali has increased fourfold.

The new tank will be used to store value-added polymer-modified bitumen products, such as cariphalte bitumen. The technology used to manufacture cariphalte bitumen involves the careful combination of thermoplastic elastomers with bitumen such that the behavior of bitumen is altered. The use of cariphalte bitumen protects airport pavements from rigorous conditions and enhances pavement life. The use of the technology on roads reduces the risk of aging, cracking, rutting and skidding. Cariphalte bitumen was used as a binder to pave the Sepang International Formula 1 Circuit near Kuala Lumpur in Malaysia.

The new tank is fitted with the most advanced technical features, and its structure meets all the health, safety, and environmental (HSE) parameters set out by local and international regulations. It is connected to a hot oil unit that will heat the bitumen before it is loaded into trucks and readied for transportation.

Dubai's Jebel Ali Free Zone was founded in 1985 and was set up to enable international companies to enjoy the opportunities and benefits of free trade. It is a distribution and warehousing hub serving a market of more than 2 billion people. JAFZA allows 100% ownership of companies, regardless of the nation of origin of the business. It permits full repatriation of profits and capital. The absence of corporate and income tax makes Dubai an extremely attractive destination for businesses from around the world.

Efficient transportation networks, well-developed communication systems, stable regulations, and the pro-business environment of the emirate make Jebel Ali one of the best economic zones in the world. With only 16 companies in 1985, the zone is now home to more than 6,400 companies from more than 100 nations. The majority of the companies are from the consumer products industry, for which Jebel Ali serves as an ideal location. It is close to both the eastern and western markets and also serves as a regional hub for distribution and re-export. With an efficient infrastructure system to support businesses, Jebel Ali is serviced by the best Middle Eastern port -- the Jebel Ali terminal of the Dubai Ports World. The port is equipped with function-specific storage and special unloading facilities.

Shell strengthened its presence in the region by opening its regional headquarters for exploration and production, Shell E&P, in Dubai in 2003. The company serves clients in the United Arab Emirates as well international customers from the office in Dubai.

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