Petrochemical News

QatarEnergy and Chevron Phillips Chemical Company LLC (CPChem) announced that they have taken a Final Investment Decision (FID) on the Golden Triangle Polymers Plant, an $8.5 billion world-scale integrated polymers facility in the Texas Gulf Coast area in the United States of America. Located about 180 kilometers east of Houston, the plant will include an ethylene cracker unit with a capacity of 2.08 million tons per annum, making it the largest in the world, and two high-density polyethylene units with a combined capacity of 2 million tons per annum, also making them the largest derivatives units of their kind in the world. Construction of the plant will begin immediately, with an expected startup date in 2026. The plant will be owned by Golden Triangle Polymers Company LLC, a joint venture in which QatarEnergy holds a 49% equity interest with 51% held by CPChem. Commenting on the FID, His Excellency Mr. Saad Sherida Al-Kaabi, the Minister of State for Energy Affairs, the President a...

Shell Chemical Appalachia LLC, a subsidiary of Shell plc, today announced it has commenced operations of its Pennsylvania Chemical project, Shell Polymers Monaca (SPM). The Pennsylvania facility is the first major polyethylene manufacturing complex in the Northeastern United States and has a designed output of 1.6 million tonnes annually. “Building this world-class facility is a fantastic achievement and one the team can be proud of; it’s a showcase of Shell’s project delivery expertise,” said Huibert Vigeveno, Shell Downstream Director. “With great market access, innovative offers and connected infrastructure, Shell Polymers Monaca is well positioned and ready to serve customers with high-quality, competitive products.” Strategically located within a 700-mile radius of 70 percent of the U.S. polyethylene market, SPM sits on 384 acres adjacent to the Ohio River in Beaver County, Pennsylvania. SPM contracted most of its natural gas feedstock at Final Investment Decision from the nearby ...

Bayport Polymers LLC (“Baystar”), a 50/50 joint venture (JV) between Borealis and TotalEnergies, today announces the start-up of commercial operations of a new ethane cracker with an annual production capacity of one million tons of ethylene. This almost USD 2 billion project built on the site of the TotalEnergies Refinery in Port Arthur, Texas, represents 14 million hours worked with more than 2,500 workers at peak construction. The ethylene produced by the cracker will be used as feedstock to supply Baystar’s existing polyethylene (PE) units, as well as a new Borstar® technology polyethylene unit currently under construction in Bayport, Texas. “I am excited to see the start-up of this new ethane cracker, an important milestone for us as we are expanding our global footprint through Baystar. We are pleased to bring Borealis’ proprietary Borstar® technology to North America for the first time, allowing Baystar to produce enhanced polyethylene products for the most demanding applicatio...

INEOS and SINOPEC have today signed three back-to-back deals worth a combined value of $7bn. These landmark agreements are expected to generate a combined turnover of around $10bn from 7 million tonnes of capacity. The three agreements will significantly reshape INEOS’ petrochemicals production and technology in China. Firstly, INEOS has agreed to acquire a 50% stake in Shanghai SECCO Petrochemical Company Limited (“SECCO”), a subsidiary of China Petroleum & Chemical Corporation (SINOPEC). SECCO currently has a production capacity of 4.2 million tonnes of petrochemicals - including ethylene, propylene, polyethylene, polypropylene, styrene, polystyrene, acrylonitrile, butadiene, benzene and toluene. It is a 200-hectare facility, located inside the Shanghai Chemical Industry Park. Secondly, INEOS has agreed to establish a new 50:50 joint venture with SINOPEC with the intent to build production capacity of up to 1.2 million tonnes of ABS, to meet rapidly growing demand in China. ...