Chevron Phillips Chemical
Co. says it will build the world’s largest on-purpose 1-hexene plant, capable
of producing up to 250,000 metric tons per year at its Cedar Bayou Chemical
Complex in Baytown, Texas. Construction is targeted to commence in the first
half of 2012, and the project is anticipated to start up during the first
quarter of 2014.
The company says it has
executed agreements with S & B Engineers and Constructors, Ltd., to
engineer and build the plant using Chevron Phillips Chemical’s proprietary, 2nd
generation, on-purpose 1-hexene technology, which produces comonomer grade
1-hexene from ethylene with exceptional product purity.
“Approval of this 1-hexene
project represents a significant milestone for our business and it supports our
growth strategy as a leader in the production of normal alpha olefins,” Mitch
Eichelberger, general manager of normal alpha olefins and polyalphaolefins for
Chevron Phillips Chemical, says. “Constructing this project is an important
step to ensure we meet the growing demand of our global customer base.”
The new 1-hexene unit at
the Cedar Bayou facility will enjoy significant advantages in infrastructure,
feedstock availability, and operational expertise, Chevron Phillips says.
1-hexene is a critical component used in the manufacture of polyethylene, a
plastic resin commonly converted into film, pipe, detergent bottles, and food
and beverage containers.
The proprietary on-purpose
1-hexene technology is already successfully used at Qatar Chemical Company
Ltd.’s facility in Mesaieed, Qatar, and will soon be used at the Saudi Polymers
Co. plant in Al Jubail, Saudi Arabia. Both these facilities are joint ventures
of wholly-owned subsidiaries of Chevron Phillips Chemical Company LLC.