Eric Watkins
Senior Correspondent

LOS ANGELES, June 6 -- Abu-Dhabi's state-owned energy investment firm International Petroleum Investment Co. (IPIC) has approved a plan for construction of a refinery at Jorf Lasfar in Morocco, the latest of several projects announced for the port on the country's Atlantic seaboard.

UAE state news agency WAM said work is under way to set up a company to administer the project in cooperation with Moroccan partners, which were not named. WAM gave no further details concerning the size of the plant or investment.

In July 2007, Morocco's energy ministry announced plans for the construction of a 10-million-tonne, $3 billion refinery at Jorf Lasfar, which would become the country's second facility. The plans called for completion of the refinery during 2015-16.

"Negotiations are under way with Spanish, UAE, Kuwaiti companies and other firms, with the view of building the second refinery," the ministry said.