Communicator

Just completed an extensive technical update of Lummus Technology's SRT steam cracking platform for our ppPLUS knowledge base. With 7 generations of evolution since 1965 and powering 51% of ethylene plants built from 2001 to 2021, this technology represents the backbone of global petrochemical production.

Key technical insights covered:
✅ Multi-pass coil configurations optimizing residence time & heat transfer
✅ Quick Quencher TLE technology achieving 10ms residence times
✅ Thermal efficiencies >94% with 28-32 GJ/MT ethylene energy consumption
✅ Run lengths of 45-120 days depending on feedstock
✅ Complete process flow from feedstock prep to cryogenic fractionation

How ppPLUS helps facility stakeholders:
🎯 Site Modeling: Detailed process parameters for existing plant optimization
🎯 Project Development: Technology benchmarking for grassroots facilities
🎯 Facility Mass Balance: From Feeds to Products including Emissions & Coproducts
🎯 Performance Analysis: Comparative data for technology selection
🎯 Technical Due Diligence: Comprehensive technology assessments

Whether you're optimizing an existing ethylene plant or developing new petrochemical capacity, our technical intelligence platform provides the depth needed for informed decision-making.

#petrochemicals #ethyleneplant #steamcracker #steamcracking #srtfurnace #lummustechnology #linde #engineering #kbr #exxonmobil #technipenergies #sinopec

Lindsey Refinery was placed into insolvency | Photo: Mike Seaman, shutterstock.com

30^th June 2025

Europe’s Industrial Backbone Shattered: Lindsey Refinery Collapse Signals Petrochemical Exodus

A wave of closures is decimating the landscape of Europe’s refining and petrochemical industry. The collapse of the UK’s Lindsey oil refinery—one of the country’s last major refining assets—has thrown 420 jobs into immediate jeopardy and sent shockwaves through the sector. This dramatic shutdown is only the latest in a series of high-profile exits that underscore the existential crisis facing European refining. Just weeks prior, Scotland’s Grangemouth refinery—after a century of operation—ceased crude processing, transitioning to an import terminal and marking the end of oil refining in the country. Meanwhile, SABIC’s decision to shutter its Olefins 6 steam cracker at Wilton, Teesside, after 46 years, has sent further tremors through the sector, with hundreds of jobs in jeopardy.

No Profits, No Future: Lindsey Refinery’s Struggles Under Prax Ownership

The Lindsey Oil Refinery’s descent into insolvency starkly illustrates the vulnerability of small-scale refineries in today’s fiercely competitive market. With a capacity of 113,000 barrels per day, Lindsey is one of the UK’s smallest remaining refineries, and it has struggled to compete against the economies of scale enjoyed by much larger, more modern facilities elsewhere. Persistent financial losses—totaling around £75 million since Prax acquired the site in 2021—ultimately forced the refinery’s owner to seek administration, putting 420 jobs at risk and threatening to deepen the UK’s reliance on imported fuels. The government, left with little time to intervene, has called for an immediate inquiry into the circumstances behind the collapse, underscoring the systemic challenges faced by smaller refineries in an era of global oversupply and razor-thin margins.

The Rationalization Imperative

These closures are not isolated incidents but part of a broader rationalization of Europe’s olefins and refining capacity. The continent’s steam crackers—once the backbone of its chemical industry—are under siege from a perfect storm: high energy and feedstock costs, weak demand, and a global supply glut exacerbated by massive capacity expansions in China. Naphtha, the main feedstock for European crackers, is costly and less efficient compared to ethane, which dominates in the US and Middle East. Naphtha crackers typically achieve only about 50% olefin yield (ethylene, propylene and butenes), while ethane crackers can reach 80% of ethylene alone—a stark difference in a margin-driven business.

Feedstock-dependent Cracking Yields (in weight-%)

The numbers tell the story. Since April 2024, six European crackers have been closed or marked for closure, including ExxonMobil’s Notre Dame de Gravenchon (France), SABIC’s Geleen (Netherlands), and now Wilton (UK). TotalEnergies is set to shut its oldest Antwerp cracker by 2027, citing a “significant surplus of ethylene expected in Europe”. The cumulative ethylene capacity lost from these moves reaches 4.35 million metric tonnes per year over the 2020 to 2027 time period, representing 17.2% of the 25.3 million metric tonnes installed ethylene capacity according to the Petrochemicals Europe database. Meanwhile, there is only one single project scheduled for start-up in 2026, INEO's Project ONE ethane cracker in Antwerp, Belgium, which will add 2 million tonnes of olefins (ethylene and propylene) annually.

Competitive Pressures and Strategic Failures

Europe’s chemical industry is caught in a vice. On one side, it faces relentless competition from regions with lower feedstock and energy costs. On the other, it suffers from stagnant demand at home, with key downstream sectors like automotive in decline and regulatory changes further eroding traditional markets for naphtha cracker byproducts. The result: margins for naphtha crackers have turned weak or negative, with spreads hovering around $200/ton—a level insufficient to justify reinvestment.

Historical and forward European steam cracker margins (US $/metric tonne) | Sparta, 29 August 2024

While Asian and Middle Eastern players have invested in feedstock flexibility and integration—the former converting naphtha crackers to ethane, the latter building up mega scale ethane cracking capacities—Europe has lagged. The region’s fragmented, aging asset base is often poorly integrated, with many sites requiring major capital just to meet new environmental standards. Strategic reviews and divestments are accelerating, with companies like SABIC openly contemplating a full or partial exit from the European market.

Policy Response and the Road Ahead

The European Commission acknowledges the urgency. High-level dialogues are underway to address the competitiveness crisis, with a focus on modernization, simplification, and financing rather than new regulation. Yet, the challenge is formidable. Many of Europe’s steam crackers are over 40 years old—environmentally inefficient and under-performing by global standards. Without bold action, the risk is not just further closures, but the hollowing out of the region’s industrial base and a growing reliance on imports for both fuels and chemicals.

Portfolio Planning PLUS Perspective

For market participants, the implications are clear:

• Asset rationalization will continue: More closures are likely as companies seek to stem losses and reallocate capital.
• Integration and feedstock flexibility are critical: Survivors will be those who can pivot to lower-cost, more sustainable operations—mirroring the successes seen in Asia and the Middle East.
• Import dependence will rise: Europe is expected to import 15–20% of its ethylene needs in the coming years, reversing decades of self-sufficiency.
• Workforce and community impacts are severe: Each closure brings not just economic loss, but social and political fallout, as seen in Grangemouth and Teesside.

Outlook

The European chemical industry stands at a crossroads. Without decisive investment, integration, and policy support, the current wave of closures may prove to be only the beginning of a deeper transformation—one that will redefine Europe’s place in the global petrochemical value chain for years to come.

#prax #sabic #totalenergies #exxonmobil #lyondellbasell #ineos #repsol #versalis #refining #steamcracker #feedstock

A note has been added to KBR Score Steam Cracking technology description accounting for the technology to be jointly owned by KBR and ExxonMobil.

#score #kbr #steamcracking #exxonmobil #technologyownership

INEOS' Project One site in Antwerp has already received its first major ‘landmark’: the ethane tank | INEOS, 5 June 2024

Antwerp, Belgium – June 10, 2025

INEOS has officially announced that its landmark €4 billion Project ONE ethane cracker in the Port of Antwerp has reached 70% completion, marking a major milestone for what is described as Europe’s largest chemical investment in a generation.

The announcement was made during a site visit by Belgian Prime Minister Bart De Wever, hosted by INEOS Chairman Sir Jim Ratcliffe. The event highlighted the scale and significance of the
project, which now employs over 2,500 workers on site as construction activity peaks.

"The visit marks a significant milestone for the project, which has now reached 70% completion and employs over 2,500 people on site. Construction is progressing at full pace, with major equipment, including giant furnaces and modular plant components, already installed. Civil works are nearing completion, and utility integration is well underway,” the official INEOS statement reads.

Commissioning and Outlook

Commissioning of Project ONE is scheduled to begin in autumn 2025, with mechanical completion anticipated by the end of 2026. Start-up of the facility is targeted for early 2027. The project is expected to create 450 high-quality permanent jobs and thousands more during the construction phase.

Sustainability and Innovation

Project ONE is designed to set new standards for sustainability in the European chemical sector. The ethane cracker will have a carbon footprint less than half that of the best-performing steam crackers in Europe, thanks to advanced technologies such as ultra-low NOx burners and the capacity to operate on low-carbon hydrogen from day one. The facility will be able to meet 60% of its heat demand with low-carbon hydrogen, with the potential to switch to 100% hydrogen as supply becomes available.

Strategic Importance

Sir Jim Ratcliffe emphasized the project’s strategic importance for Europe’s industrial future, noting that Project ONE is the first new cracker in Europe in a generation. Prime Minister Bart De
Wever praised the project’s progress and its role in reducing CO₂ emissions while supporting the region’s prosperity.

Conclusion

With 70% of construction completed and commissioning on the horizon, Project ONE is on track to transform the industrial landscape of Antwerp and set a benchmark for sustainable chemical production in Europe. The project continues to attract attention as a model for innovation, sustainability, and economic growth in the region.

#cracker #steamcracker #gascracker #projectone #ineos #belgium #antwerp #technip

AMUR GCC Project showing the 9 Linde Pyrolysis Furnaces and the Quench Tower | AGCC website

Amur Gas Chemical Complex: Navigating Technology Licensing Challenges

The Amur Gas Chemical Complex (Amur GCC) exemplifies the intricate balance between technological ambition and geopolitical realities. Originally designed to become the world’s largest polymer production site, the project has faced significant delays due to shifts in technology licensing dynamics, even as its core infrastructure advances.

The Amur GCC Project

Amur GCC stands as one of the most ambitious petrochemical undertakings in Russia’s recent history and a flagship of Russian-Chinese industrial cooperation. Located near Svobodny in the Amur region of Russia’s Far East, the project is a joint venture between SIBUR, Russia’s largest petrochemical company, holding a 60% stake, and China’s Sinopec, which owns the remaining 40%. When completed, Amur GCC will be among the world’s largest producers of base polymers, with a design capacity of 2.7 million tonnes per year—2.3 million tonnes of polyethylene and 400,000 tonnes of polypropylene.

The complex is integrated with the broader Amur gas processing and gas chemical cluster, ensuring direct feedstock supply via pipelines. Gazprom’s Amur Gas Processing Plant (Amur GPP), which processes natural gas from East Siberian fields, will supply the primary feedstock to Amur GCC: ethane (up to 2 million t/y), and LPG (propane/butane, ~1.1 million t/y).

Steam Cracker and Downstream Progress

At the heart of the complex lies its 2.3 million t/y ethylene plant, supplied and partially engineered by Linde before the German firm’s confirmed withdrawal in 2022. Linde’s contributions included delivering critical components like the 1,500-ton quench tower, transported from South Korea to the remote Amur site—a logistical triumph showcased in earlier project updates.



Quench tower delivery to AMUR GCC, Nov 2021 | Credit: Linde Engineering

By January 2024, SIBUR released a progress video on AGCC status update as of December 2023, confirming that polyethylene (PE) and polypropylene (PP) production units were being deployed as originally planned. The footage shows equipment installation for these downstream facilities, suggesting that proprietary technologies from Western licensors—Univation (Unipol PE gas-phase plants), ChevronPhillips Chemical (PE slurry process, undefined if MarTECH Single Loop or Advanced Dual Loop), and LyondellBasell (Spheripol PP Technology)—remain integral to the project. This indicates that either licensing agreements persisted post-2022 or SIBUR/Sinopec retained rights to use the technologies despite licensors’ reduced involvement.



Amur GCC Progress Video, Jan 2024. Reactor in this screenshot is a Slurry Loop Reactor | Credit: Sibur

Licensing Uncertainties and Delays

While Linde publicly exited the project by July 2022, when part of the equipment, including the pyrolysis unit, had already been built, SIBUR and Sinopec decided to reconsider the strategy for implementing the project, redesigned it and replaced contractors and license holders for the polyethylene and polypropylene lines. To this date, the status of other Western partners remains ambiguous as public disclosures from SIBUR and Sinopec have not clarified whether CPChem, Univation, or LyondellBasell continue to provide technical support or if their pre-sanction contracts are being honored. The lack of explicit withdrawal announcements contrasts with the project’s two-year delay.



Amur GCC Progress Video, Jan 2024. Reactor in this screenshot is likely a Gas Phase Unipol PE reactor | Credit: Sibur

It is a matter of speculation if SIBUR and Sinopec may be relying on existing licenses, in-house expertise, or third-party intermediaries to proceed with the original technologies. The January 2024 video underscores that downstream unit construction aligns with initial designs, implying that the licensors’ intellectual property is still being utilized, albeit without confirmed active collaboration.

Construction began in August 2020 and mechanical completion has been delayed to 2026 (originally 2024–25). Despite licensing headwinds, the Amur GCC achieved 76% mechanical completion by mid-May 2025 with commercial polyethylene production to start by Q3 2026, polypropylene production and full operations expected to follow in 2027 (source: interfax.com).

Strategic Implications

The Amur GCC’s trajectory highlights the resilience of large-scale petrochemical projects in the face of geopolitical disruptions. While Linde’s exit created logistical and technical gaps, the continued use of Western-designed downstream technologies—whether through preserved licenses or workarounds—demonstrates SIBUR and Sinopec’s commitment to delivering a world-class facility. The complex’s success will hinge on operationalizing these units without direct licensor support, a challenge that could redefine global norms for technology transfer in sanctioned environments. For now, the Amur GCC stands as a testament to both international collaboration’s potential and its fragility in an era of shifting alliances.

#linde #univation #lyondellbasell #chevronphillips #cpchem #sibur #amurgcc #sinopec
#steamcracker #ethyleneplant #amur #russia #unipolpe #martech #slurryloop #gasphasepe #spheripol #polyethylene #polypropylene #ethane #lpg

#eastman #longview #texas #usa #steamcracking #kbr

PRefChem Refinery Complex. Credit: prefchem.com

Malaysia’s Pengerang Refining Company (PRefChem Refining) has resumed operations by mid of May at one of its two residue fluid catalytic cracking (RFCC) units at the Johor complex, following an extended shutdown for repairs since late January. The two RFCC units at PRefChem have a combined processing capacity of 170,000 barrels per day (bpd), making them among the largest of their kind in the region

Operational Challenges and Market Impact

• Both RFCC units had previously encountered operational disruptions in the fourth quarter of last year, further impacting production reliability. The recently restarted RFCC unit, which primarily produces gasoline, is not yet operating at full capacity, according to sources familiar with the matter. The unit had been offline since the last week of January due to technical issues, contributing to a significant reduction in overall refinery throughput.
  
• During the shutdown, crude processing rates at the 300,000-bpd refinery dropped to around 50% on average over the past four months. Since the recent restart, sporadic offers for gasoline cargoes loading in June have appeared in the market, signaling a gradual return to normal operations.
  
• In addition to gasoline, the refinery is expected to load 5–6 cargoes of diesel (each 300,000 barrels) in May, according to trade estimates, rebounding from less than 1 million barrels in April.
  
• On the petrochemical side, PRefChem’s only steam cracker, with an ethylene capacity of 1.2 million metric tons per year, has also been offline for repairs since late January. The cracker is slated for a restart in the second half of June, according to industry sources.

Strategic Context

PRefChem, a 50:50 joint venture between Malaysia’s state oil company Petronas and Saudi Aramco, operates the integrated refinery and petrochemical complex at Pengerang, Johor. The facility is a cornerstone of the Pengerang Integrated Complex (PIC), which is Malaysia’s only fully integrated refinery, steam cracker, and petrochemical site. The complex is designed with multiple train configurations—including the two-train RFCC system using Axens technology (R2R) —to enhance production reliability and flexibility. Despite facing recurring operational disruptions since 2023, the company continues to invest in new technologies and capacity expansions to support long-term growth and regional energy security:

• New Projects: The $5.3 billion Pengerang Energy Complex, securing $3.5 billion in financing in December 2024, will add 2.6 million metric tons/year of aromatics capacity by 2028.
  
• Specialty Chemicals: The recently commissioned isononanol plant (250,000 tons/year) at the Pengerang Petrochemicals Complex achieved on-spec production in 2024, targeting full capacity by 2025.

Market Positioning

PRefChem remains strategically positioned as a major supplier of Euro 5-grade fuels and petrochemical feedstocks in Southeast Asia:

• Euro 5 Fuels: The refinery produces high-specification gasoline and diesel.
  
• Integrated Complex: The site houses 3.4 million tons/year of petrochemical capacity, including propylene and ethylene, though recent spot propylene tenders suggest inventory management amid cracker downtime.

Analysts note that while near-term operational reliability concerns persist, PRefChem's long-term growth pipeline and low-carbon investments position it to capitalize on Southeast Asia's rising petrochemical demand.

#prefchem #saudiaramco #petronas #pengerang #rfcc #gasoline #diesel #steamcracker #malaysia

Dow Inc. has announced a significant delay to its highly anticipated Path2Zero project in Fort Saskatchewan, Alberta, while also expanding its review of European assets in response to ongoing market challenges. The Path2Zero initiative, originally slated for phased startup in 2027 and 2029, represents an $8.9 billion investment to build the world’s first net-zero emissions steamcracker (ethylene plant) and polyethylene production facility. This project was designed to decarbonize 20% of Dow’s global ethylene capacity and boost its polyethylene output by about 15%, supplying roughly 3.2 million metric tonnes of low- or zero-carbon plastics annually.

The decision to delay construction comes as Dow faces persistent global economic uncertainty, including unpredictable U.S. trade policies and tariffs that have dampened demand and increased market volatility. According to Dow CEO Jim Fitterling, the pause is intended to preserve cash flow and avoid escalating costs before major construction begins. By delaying the project, Dow expects to save $600 million in 2025, contributing to a $1 billion reduction in capital expenditures for the year. Despite the setback, the company remains committed to the long-term vision of the Path2Zero project, which is seen as crucial for future growth in sectors such as pressure pipes, wiring, cables, and food packaging.

In addition to the Path2Zero delay, Dow is broadening its review of European assets, particularly in light of high feedstock and energy costs, weak demand, and increasingly complex regulatory conditions in the region. This expanded review now includes all value-creating options for its polyurethanes business, as well as three high-cost, energy-intensive upstream assets: the steam cracker in Böhlen, Germany; chlor-alkali and vinyl assets in Schkopau, Germany; and the basics siloxanes plant in Barry, U.K. The company aims to complete this review by mid-2025, with possible outcomes ranging from idling to shutting down these facilities.

Financially, Dow reported a net loss of $290 million in the first quarter of 2025, reversing a profit from the previous year, largely due to lower prices and higher costs. The company has also implemented a global workforce reduction of 1,500 jobs and is targeting approximately $6 billion in near-term cash support through asset sales and legal settlements. Despite these challenges, the Alberta government and other project stakeholders continue to support the Path2Zero initiative, emphasizing its long-term importance for the region’s economy and the global shift toward low-emissions energy.

#dow #dowchemical #dowolefins #steamcracker #b öhlen #germane #schkopau #chloralkali #netzero #chloralkali

TotalEnergies Manufacturing Site at the port of Antwerpen ©Belga

TotalEnergies closes one of its two steam crackers in Antwerp, 253 jobs disappear "without layoffs"

Antwerpen, 22 April 2025 -- TotalEnergies will close one of its two steam crackers in the port of Antwerp, a decision that will impact more than 250 jobs. No forced layoffs will be announced, according to the energy group.

By 2028, the chemical cluster in the port of Antwerp will lose one of its three steam crackers. TotalEnergies has chosen to shut down its oldest Naphtha Cracker (NC2). The reason is a concerning overcapacity in the petrochemical market. Although 253 positions are affected by this closure, management seeks to reassure: no forced departures are on the horizon.

“We assure every employee of the affected steam cracker that they will be able to continue their activity at our Antwerp site,” says Ann Veraverbeke, CEO, in an interview with Gazet van Antwerpen. “This transition is possible because, by early 2028, 270 of our employees in Antwerp will reach the legal retirement age. The 253 employees from the old steam cracker will be essential to fill this wave of departures.”

Ethylene overcapacity

NC2, a petrochemical facility that transforms hydrocarbons into basic molecules used in the chemical industry, was “historically dependent” on a contract with a user of the ethylene produced, who did not wish to renew this contract, the French oil and gas group specified.

The facility “will no longer have outlets for its ethylene production” and TotalEnergies will “focus on its newest steam cracker (NC3), whose ethylene production is entirely consumed by TotalEnergies’ units in Antwerp and Feluy,” it added.

2017 Revamp of Naphtha Cracker 3

As part of a project to upgrade its refining and chemicals platform in Antwerp, TotalEnergies had started up a new ethylene cracker that runs on ethane feedstock in July 2017, investing nearly $60 million to revamp its Naphtha Cracker 3 to run on the light feed and the adaption of the site’s terminal to enable the import of 200,000 t of ethane per year by ship from Norway. The revamp was done to optimize supply by providing flexibility for the cracker to use either ethane, butane or naphtha as feedstock, so that advantaged feedstock could therefore account for more than 50% total input.

#totalenergies #antwerp #belgium #petrochemicals #steamcracker #naphthacracker #plantclosure #ethylene

The description of steam has been updated at the main product level with details such as steam generation, types of steams, pressure classification and ranges, energy content calculation details, and advantages as a heat transfer medium.

#steam #steampressure #heatransfer

Construction is under way for S-Oil's $7 billion Shaheen petrochemical project in Ulsan (Credit: S-Oil)

Ulsan, South Korea – February 17, 2025 – S-Oil, a leading South Korean refiner, has announced that its $7 billion Shaheen petrochemical project in Ulsan has reached 55% completion in engineering, procurement, and construction. This major initiative, featuring one of the world’s largest integrated steam crackers, is on track for mechanical completion in the first half of 2026, with commercial operations starting in the second half. Utilizing thermal crude-to-chemicals (TC2C) technology developed with Saudi Aramco and Lummus Technology, the project will produce 1.8 million tons of ethylene annually, doubling S-Oil’s petrochemical output to 25% and boosting South Korea’s economy with up to 17,000 jobs during peak construction.

#soil #aramco #lummus #southkorea #korea #shaheen #tc2c #crudeoiltochemicals #oiltochemicals #steamcracking #ethylene #ulsan

Liquid fuel-fired power plants have been added, of which they are two types: steam cycle or combined cycle power stations and power plants running on diesel engines.


#powerplant #powerstation #oilpowerplant #dieselengine #fueloilpowerplant #steamcycle #combinedcycle

#water #hotwater #condensate #steam #steamnetwork #styemheating

A generic Hot Water Network technology has been added.


#hotwaternetwork #hotwater #hotwaterlin #processheating #districtheating

A generic Steam Network technology has been added.


#steamnetwork #steam #steamline #processheating

Steam network has been added.


#steamnetwork #steam #heating

Lummus Catofin catalytic dehydrogenation and Technip Lliquid steam cracker plants have been added together with their main productions.


#dalian #hengli #china #liaoning #catofin #pdh #dehydrogenation #propene #ethylene #isobutene #steamcracker #liquidfeed #technip

BASF successfully installed steam cracker module at its Zhanjiang integrated site

20^th Nov 2024 | Source: Zhanjiang Cloud Media | Author: Reporter Chen Yan

Recently, the steam cracker module of BASF’s Zhanjiang integrated base was successfully installed, marking a new milestone in the construction of the project and taking a solid step towards the goal of putting the integrated core into operation by the end of 2025.

Tian Yaqing, senior vice president of integrated project management at BASF's new integrated site in China, said that the modular construction concept adopted by the plant has significant advantages in terms of efficiency, safety and quality. "By using pre-assembled modules, we can simplify the construction process, shorten the project duration and minimize on-site disturbance. This approach not only improves safety through more controlled assembly in a factory environment, but also ensures the stability of the quality of each component."

Currently, BASF's Zhanjiang integrated base is making every effort to build its integrated core, including a steam cracking unit and multiple downstream units for the production of petrochemicals, intermediates, etc.

#steamcracker #zhanjiang #basf #ethyleneplant #china

SIPC 1.2 million tonne ethylene project was completed and put into operation in Tianjin

On 13th November the new ethylene complex operated by SIPC, also known as the 'ethylene and downstream high-end new materials industry cluster project', was successfully put into operation and the whole process was completed, producing qualified products. Sinopec INEOS (Tianjin) Petrochemical Co., Ltd. (SIPC) is a joint venture between INEOS and SINOPEC. The project is built in the Nangang area of the Tianjin Economic and Technological Development Zone.

The steam cracker plant with a 1.2 million tonne per year of ethylene is designed to provide 4 million tons annually of high-end chemical products and fine chemical feedstocks to the downstream every year. There are 13 downstream projects including high-density polyethylene, linear low-density polyethylene, ultra high molecular weight polyethylene, polypropylene, acrylonitrile, and polyolefin elastomers (POE).

The new ethylene complex, partly powered by solar and designed as an energy and water efficient project, is integrated with Sinopec Tianjin's 320,000 barrels per day refinery, Sinopec commented. The company uses a combination of Sinopec's own technology and imported technology to produce high-end, differentiated new materials that replace imports and fill domestic gaps.

The project took only 21.5 months from the start of civil construction to mechanical completion, breaking many records for similar projects, including the best overall coordinated control plan, the least number of workers, the deepest degree of factory prefabrication, the largest proportion of modular installation, the highest rate of localization of large equipment, and the widest application of digital intelligence.

#sinopec #ineos #sipc #petrochemical #ethylene #ethyleneplant #steamcracker #polyethylene #polypropylene

Steam cracker technology has been identified as supplied by Linde.


#ethyleneplant #steamcracker #linde #dushanzi #petrochina #petrochemical

Yangzi-BASF Light Hydrocarbon Comprehensive Utilization Project with 1 million tonnes steam cracker begins construction, receives environmental impact assessment.

7th Sep 2024 | Source: DT New Materials, via Sohu.com

Yangzi-BASF Light Hydrocarbon Comprehensive Utilization Project

On August 30, 2024, the Yangzi-BASF Light Hydrocarbon Comprehensive Utilization Project officially began construction. The project investment is approximately 9.142 billion yuan, with downstream new materials projects totaling about 25.652 billion yuan. The project
includes construction of three process units and supporting facilities:

° One 1 million tons/year ethylene steam cracking unit
° One 500,000 tons/year gasoline hydrogenation unit
° One 620,000 tons/year aromatics extraction unit

The project is constructed and operated by Nanjing Yangzi-BASF Olefins Co., Ltd., which was newly established on October 24, 2023. The company was formed as a 50-50 joint venture between Sinopec Yangzi Petrochemical Company Limited and BASF-YPC Company Limited.


15th Nov 2023 16:25 | Petrochemical Federation Chemical New Materials Committee | via WeChat.

With a total investment of over 10.3 billion yuan, Nanjing Yangzi-BASF Olefins Co., Ltd. will build a 1 million tons/year steam cracking ethylene plant

On November 13, 2023, the Jiangsu Environmental Protection Public Network released the second public announcement of the environmental impact assessment of the light hydrocarbon comprehensive utilization project of Nanjing Yangzi BASF Olefin Co., Ltd. and put forward suggestions and opinions on the project construction content to all sectors of society.

° Construction unit: Nanjing Yangzi-Yanba Olefins Co., Ltd.
° Project name: Light hydrocarbon comprehensive utilization project
° Construction location: The project area is located in the inspection and safety area of Yangzi Petrochemical; the product tank area is located in the Henghai area of Yangzi Petrochemical; the flare is arranged in the BASF-YPC-Yunnan land.
° Project type: Greenfield project.
° Total investment: 1,030,513 million yuan, with additional environmental protection investment of 262 million yuan;
° Land area: The total land area is 43.3 hectares (33 hectares for Jianan area and 10.3 hectares for Henghai area).
° Number of employees: The labor quota for this project is 207 people.
° Project Overview: The project includes a 1 million tons/year steam cracking ethylene production unit and 4 downstream chemical units; supporting public engineering systems include raw materials, intermediate raw materials, product tank farms, air compressor stations, circulating water fields, power supply systems, flare systems, etc.; and the transformation of existing facilities of Yangzi and BASF-YPC.

It is reported that Yangzi Petrochemical's existing "refinery structure adjustment project" will be completed and put into production before this project is put into production.

After the project is put into production, the refining sector of Yangzi Petrochemical will supply raw materials for the "ethylene cracking unit of this project" and "Yangzi Petrochemical's existing 800,000-ton ethylene cracking unit."

#basf #ypc #lighthydrocarbon #petrochemical #yangzi #ethylene #steamcracking #gasoline #aromatics

The mass balance of Guangdong Petrochemical has been initialized with identification of crude oil imports and the addition of two technologies: Huanqiu Steam Cracking and Grace's Unipol PP with their respective capacities.

#unipolpp #steamcracking #ethylene #huanqiu #guangdong #petrochemical #china #refining

Huanqiu steam cracking technology has been added as a placeholder. Technology description needs to be developed.


#steamcracking #petrochina #cnpc #steamcracking #ethylene #huanqiu

SINOPEC Steam Cracking Technology has been added.

#steamcracking #ethyleneplant #sinopec #ethylene #china

Existing FS1 steam cracker technology was developed inhouse by DOW, and the existing three PE trains are Dow solution process according to the Path2NetZero map. Cracker capacity is estimated based on capacity expansion indications.

#dow #solutionprocess #polyethylene #steamcracking #canada #fortsaskatchewan

Credit: @ExxonMobil, Port-Jérôme (Gravenchon) refinery

ExxonMobil Chemical 🇫🇷 France (EMCF) announced on April 11 the definitive shutdown of the steam cracker and the polyethylene, polypropylene, adhesives and associated logistics facilities units at the Gravenchon site in Port-Jérôme-sur-Seine (Seine-Maritime) in 2024. This will result in the loss of 677 jobs out of a workforce of 2,400 employees in France during 2025, the company said in a press release. In detail, 647 positions will disappear on site and 30 at the company's management in Nanterre (Hauts-de-Seine). The Port-Jérôme refinery activities are not affected. The site will continue to produce and supply fuels, lubricants, base oils and bitumens. Similarly, the activity of Infineum, the joint venture between ExxonMobil and Shell for the production of additives, is not part of the announcement. In 2020, 35 million euros were invested in these operations also located in Gravenchon.

#fuels #lubricants #bitumen #polyethylene #polypropylene #steamcracking #steamcracker #refining #refinery #france #exxonmobil

Mass Balances of Borouge 1, Borouge 2 and Borouge 3 have been completed. Borouge 4 site's model has been initialized but will be finalized when the project comes on-stream. With each further stage, the sites are becoming more complex, as shown in the mass balance table of Borouge 3. The Mass Balances are presented as simplified block flow diagrams (Borouge 1 visual, Borouge 2 visual, Borouge 3 visual). Technologies have been identified for all assets of all three projects as shown for the Borouge 3 technology table. By clicking on the blue 'T' icons in the diagrams or on the technology name in the technology table, the corresponding technology is shown (e.g. Linde Steam Cracker) and by clicking on the green 'F' icons, the flow details for the corresponding asset are displayed.

#polyethylene #polypropylene #steamcracking #ethyleneplant #steamcracker

On April 1^st, INEOS has completed the acquisition of TotalEnergies’ 50% share of Naphtachimie (720 ktpa steam cracker), Appryl (300 ktpa polypropylene business), Gexaro (270 ktpa aromatics business) and 3TC (naphtha storage, a 50/50 JV between Petroineos and TotalEnergies) announced on July 5^th. These businesses have until today been joint ventures between the two companies. A number of other infrastructure assets have also been acquired including part of TotalEnergies ethylene pipeline network in France.

INEOS will now fully integrate the Naphthachimie, Gexaro and Appryl petrochemical businesses, assets and infrastructure into INEOS Olefins & Polymers South at Lavera in Southern France. Gexaro, which is located on the Lavera refinery site will continue to be operated by Petroineos.

Source: INEOS Press Release, Apr 1^st, 2024

#steamcracker #aromatics #polypropylene #naphtha #naphtha #pipeline #ethylene #olefins #refinery

Saudi Arabian Oil Co., DHAHRAN, 17^th Nov 2022, Aramco affiliate S-OIL to build one of the world’s largest petrochemical crackers in South Korea

Aramco is making its biggest ever investment in South Korea to develop one of the world’s largest refinery-integrated petrochemical steam crackers through its S-OIL affiliate, in line with the company’s strategy to maximize the crude to chemicals value chain.

The $7 billion Shaheen project aims to convert crude oil into petrochemical feedstock and would represent the first commercialization of Aramco and Lummus Technology’s TC2C thermal crude to chemicals technology, which increases chemical yield and reduces operating costs. It follows an earlier $4 billion investment into the first phase of the petrochemical expansion completed in 2018.

Located at S-Oil’s existing site in Ulsan, the new plant is planned to have the capacity to produce up to 3.2 million tons of petrochemicals annually and include a facility to produce high-value polymers. The project is expected to start in 2023 and be completed by 2026.

The steam cracker is expected to process by-products from crude processing, including naphtha and off-gas, to produce ethylene — a building block petrochemical used to make thousands of everyday items. The plant is also expected to produce propylene, butadiene and other basic chemicals.

#shaheen #soil #petrochemicals #tc2c #oiltochemicals #crudeoiltochemicals #southkorea #aramco #steamcracker #ulsan #thermalcrudetochemical #naphtha