OREANDA-NEWS. April 11, 2011. A new refinery, known as Premium II, will be installed at the Pecem Industrial Port Complex (CIPP), in an area which encompasses the Caucaia and Sao Goncalo do Amarante districts, in the state of Ceara. The location offers logistic advantages, such as ease of maritime access through the Port of Pecem and proximity to railroads and highways.

We are currently in the environmental licensing phase for the installation of the refinery. Scheduled to enter into operation in 2017, the refinery will have a capacity to process 300,000 barrels of oil per day, producing diesel, bottled gas, aviation fuel, naphtha and coke. Pipelines, with a forecasted extension of 11 km, will connect the Premium II Refinery to the Port of Pecem.

The Premium II Refinery project will boost the development of the state of Ceara by attracting other companies to the area, training the local workforce, creating jobs, increasing tax collection, and fostering improvements in the socioeconomic conditions for residents of the state.

During the most active phase of the works, in 2015, 20,000 direct jobs will be created. The workforce will be assembled giving preference to residents in areas near the project. In order to achieve this, training and professional qualification will be made available so that local workers may be hired during the construction phase and during operation of the refinery. It has been estimated that the project will create around 90,000 direct, indirect, and induced jobs. The qualification of professionals in the field of civil construction will be carried out in partnership with the Ministry of Labor and Employment, through the Sector Qualification Plan (PlanSeq).

In total, 3,560 vacancies are envisaged for Ceara, including training courses for bricklayers, carpenters, building electricians, plumbers, builders and welders, among others, which will be distributed among the Fortaleza, Caucaia, Maracanau and Sao Goncalo do Amarante districts. Meetings are already being held with the city halls in order to define the sites where the training courses will be provided and the publication of the selection process in the respective districts.