Petrochemicals · Complex & units
Complex & units
Six chained units, three investment phases: the industrial trajectory that takes Sédigui gas and the crude’s fractions from the flare to the bag of fertiliser. (2026-2030+ targets)
The sequence
Six units, one molecule
Each unit takes the previous one’s output. That is what makes the complex coherent — and what forces it to be built in order, from the most mature to the most capital-intensive.
Gas treatment & separation
Dehydration, NGL recovery, LPG extraction. The clean feed that supplies everything else — and the moment Sédigui gas stops being flared.
Phase 1 · the foundationAmmonia
Steam reforming of methane yields syngas, then ammonia: the mother molecule of every nitrogen fertiliser.
Phase 1 · the hingeUrea & NPK
Urea granulation and NPK blending. The bag of fertiliser made in-country, close to the field it is meant to feed.
Phase 2 · agricultural marketMethanol
The same syngas yields methanol: a solvent, a chemical feedstock, a backup fuel — and a product that exports.
Phase 2 · added valueSulphur & bitumen
Sulphur recovered from gas treatment, heavy refining residues upgraded into road bitumen. Nothing goes to waste.
Phase 2 · co-productsPolymers & surfactants
The most capital-intensive unit: polymers and surfactants for EOR and industry, from the available cuts.
Phase 3 · depthThe sequencing
Three phases, from most mature to most capital-intensive
A petrochemical industry cannot be decreed in one block. Each phase funds the next, and each has its gate condition — without it, you do not move on to the next step.
| Phase | Target horizon | What gets built | Gate condition |
|---|---|---|---|
| Phase 1 | 2026-2028 | Gas treatment & separation, ammonia unit | Sédigui gas secured and a long-term supply agreement |
| Phase 2 | 2028-2030 | Urea & NPK, methanol, sulphur recovery, bitumen | Phase 1 at steady state and contracted agricultural offtake |
| Phase 3 | 2030+ | Polymers, surfactants, specialty chemistry | Regional market open and a committed technology partner |
Indicative horizons · company in formation. These are trajectory targets, not a committed execution schedule.
The conditions
What each unit presupposes
A petrochemical complex does not stand on the molecule alone. Four conditions govern the move from plan to concrete.
The molecule
Contracted access to Sédigui gas and to the crude’s fractions, over a period compatible with the units’ amortisation.
Exploration & Production · supply agreementPower and water
A stable power supply and a closed water cycle — petrochemicals consume water, and the Sahel has none to spare.
GreenTech · closed cycleLand and logistics
A site arbitrated between proximity to the resource and access to the Doba ↔ Kribi corridor, with the easements and heavy access that come with it.
Transport & Storage · corridorSkills and licences
Licensed processes and, above all, operators trained in-country — the Academy trains before the units run.
Tchaditude · train firstContinue in Petrochemicals