Lavéra Cracking III plant partial view (another night view shows nine chimneys in total) | Source: Naphthachimie corporate website
The Naphtachimie sits within the broader Lavéra industrial platform, approximately 50 km west of Marseille on the Mediterranean coast, adjacent to the strategic Lavéra–Fos oil terminal complex.
Physical Footprint
Naphtachimie occupies approximately 66 hectares within the chemical zone of the Lavéra platform. The wider Lavéra industrial complex spans 650 hectares in total, of which around 60 hectares remain available for development. The overall complex hosts 13 companies, approximately 2,000 direct employees and 1,000 contractors across the full refining and petrochemical site.
Core Asset: Steam Cracker
The centrepiece of Naphtachimie's operations is one of the largest steam cracker in Europe, with a nameplate capacity of 720,000 tonnes per annum (ktpa) of ethylene. The Naphthachimie cracking III plant processes naphtha and other light petroleum (LPG) cuts from the adjacent Lavéra refinery. Capacity of the cracker has grown significantly over time:
- 1966: 100,000 t/yr
- 1969: 120,000 t/yr
- 1972: 400,000 t/yr
- 1980: 480,000 t/yr
- 1986: 500,000 t/yr
- 1991: 620,000 t/yr
- 1996: 700,000 t/yr
- 2001: 720,000 t/yr (current nominal capacity)
Platform Integration
The site is deeply integrated with the Lavéra refinery (operated by Petroineos) immediately upstream, which supplies the naphtha feedstock to the steam cracker via direct pipeline connections. Naphtachimie's outputs in turn feed downstream units on the same platform — Appryl (polypropylene), Gexaro (benzene extraction), and Oxo processes — minimising dangerous goods transport and creating strong industrial synergies. The chemical site occupies the area downstream of the refinery and converts light distillation fractions into monomers, polymers, and chemical intermediates.
Geographic and Logistics Advantages
The site's strategic location at the end of the Rhône corridor and in proximity to the Lavéra and Fos oil ports provides direct access to international crude and feedstock supply routes, as well as global product distribution. Product dispatch from the site is possible via ship, train, river barge, truck, and pipeline. Notably, INEOS also owns majority interest in the ethylene pipeline connecting Lavéra to polymer production at Sarralbe in northeastern France, acquired as part of the 2024 TotalEnergies deal.
Infrastructure and Utilities
Beyond olefin production, Naphtachimie serves as the central utilities provider for the Lavéra chemical platform, operating a dedicated thermal power plant and supplying steam, demineralised water, electricity, cooling water, nitrogen, and wastewater treatment to co-located companies. The site is connected to gas and electricity networks supplying up to 300 MW of energy-intensive capacity. An on-site Technology Centre employing around 50 specialists supports catalyst and polymer R&D, process technology, modelling, and analytical engineering across multiple INEOS sites.
Certifications and HSE
The Lavéra site holds certifications for quality, environmental, and energy management under ISO 9001, ISO 14001, and ISO 50001. It is classified as a Seveso III High Threshold installation, with the site fenced and guarded 24/7. Naphtachimie's operations are subject to regular inspection by the French Inspection des Installations Classées (DREAL).
