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MOSCOW (MRC) -- NOVA Chemicals is
resuming construction activities in a phased approach at its Corunna site,
according to Blackburnnews.
The
company said beginning Thursday, April 16 it will gradually increase the number
of workers involved in construction of the new polyethylene plant and the
cracker expansion project.
NOVA announced late
last month that it was sending home the majority of the construction workers at
the Corunna site to reduce the risk of exposure to COVID-19. In an updated
statement Wednesday, the company said it intends to safely and steadily resume
some construction activities on both projects.
"In keeping with Ontario
government directives for significant industrial petrochemical projects and our
company’s foundational principles and core values, NOVA Chemicals has taken
significant steps to maintain the health and safety of our employees,
contractors and community," the statement said.
NOVA Chemicals President
and CEO Todd Karran said many of them are working from home until future notice
but they have site-critical employees and contractors working at their
manufacturing locations and construction projects.
"I continue to be
impressed by the resiliency and dedication of our workforce and I’m confident
that together we are taking the necessary precautions to keep our people safe,"
said Karran. "With a strong commitment to social distancing and working
responsibly, we can do our part to flatten the curve."
NOVA Chemicals is
building a new polyethylene plant at its new Rokeby Line site adjacent to the
existing Corunna plant. The Corunna cracker is being expanded to provide
additional ethylene feedstock.
The start-up of the expanded facilities,
costing approximately USD2.2 billion, was initially targeted for late
2021.
As MRC reported before,
NOVA Chemicals expanded ethylene production capacity by 20% at its cracker in
Corunna, Ontario from the previous capacity of about 839,000 tpy. The expansion
occurred between 2014 and 2018 and was part of a wave of expansions and upgrades
to NOVA's existing facilities near Sarnia, Ontario. Other upgrades in the plan
included a debottlenecking of the Moore low-density polyethylene (LDPE) line and
a retrofit of the Moore high-density polyethylene (HDPE) line.
Ethylene
and propylene are feedstocks for producing polyethylene (PE) and polypropylene
(PP).
According to MRC's ScanPlast report,
Russia's estimated PE consumption totalled 383,760 tonnes in the first two month
of 2020, up by 14% year on year. High density polyethylene (HDPE) and linear low
density polyethylene (LLDPE) shipments increased due to the increased capacity
utilisation at ZapSibNeftekhim. At the same time, PP shipments to the Russian
market were 192,760 tonnes in January-February 2020, down by 6% year on year.
Homopolymer PP accounted for the main decrease in imports.
NOVA Chemicals
Corporation is a plastics and chemical company headquartered in Calgary,
Alberta, Canada, and is wholly-owned ultimately by Mubadala Investment Company
of the Emirate of Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. |
