MOSCOW (MRC) -- ExxonMobil's Baytown chemical expansion project will include a linear alpha olefins (LAO) unit and a solution polymer unit (SPU). Worley has completed the engineering and procurement phases of the offsite expansion project and will now deliver construction outside the battery limits for the new units, according to Hydrocarbonprocessing.
The LAO unit will have an estimated production capacity of around 350,000 tpy. The SPU will produce around 400,000 metric t of polymers per year, including Vistamaxx performance polymers.
This construction comprises all the interconnecting process and utility streams piping, tie-ins, equipment, and the electrical and instrumentation connections required to integrate the new units into the existing complex.
The LAO and SPU units are expected to start up in 2023.
“We look forward to constructing this specialty chemicals project on the US Gulf Coast for ExxonMobil,” said Brad Van de Veen, President Americas Field Services at Worley. “Having executed the engineering and procurement for the project, it means a lot to us to carry that through to the construction phase - a full EPC execution.”
As MRC reported earlier, ExxonMobil plans to build its first, large-scale plastic waste advanced recycling facility in Baytown, Texas, and is expected to start operations by year-end 2022. By recycling plastic waste back into raw materials that can be used to make plastic and other valuable products, the technology could help address the challenge of plastic waste in the environment. A smaller, temporary facility, is already operational and producing commercial volumes of certified circular polymers that will be marketed by the end of this year to meet growing demand.
According to MRC's ScanPlast report, Russia's estimated PE consumption totalled 1,868,160 tonnes in the first nine months of 2021, up by 18% year on year. Shipments of all grades of ethylene polymers increased. At the same time, PP shipments to the Russian market were 1,138,510 tonnes in January-September 2021, up by 30% year on year. Supply of propylene homopolymer (homopolymer PP) and block-copolymers of propylene (PP block copolymers) increased, whereas supply of injection moulding statistical copolymers of propylene (PP random copolymers) decreased significantly.
ExxonMobil is the largest non-government owned company in the energy industry and produces about 3% of the world"s oil and about 2% of the world"s energy.
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