Processing capacity and the petrochemical industry

Over the next few months, the petrochemical industry will see a variety of new plants coming online and the proposals for new facilities being actioned. These plants will join those that have come onstream in the last few months and those that are now running at full capacity.

China
Panjin Petrochemical started up its new 450 000 tpy steam cracker in December 2009. The company are expecting to start up the rest of the facility later in the year due to operations in the steam cracker not progressing as planned and to schedule. Also in December, Sinopec Tianjin started up its 1 million tpy cracker for a successful trial run. The facility is expected to be permanently online by the end of February.

During January of this year, Liaoning Huajin Tongda Chemicals Co. carried out test runs of its new 450 000 tpy cracker with successful results. Up coming capacity for China comes from China Sinopec Zhenhai which plans on commencing operations at its new 1 milltion tpy cracker facility by the end of March.

India
India Haldia Petrochemicals has expanded its ethylene and propylene facilities and expects to reach full capacity production by the end of February. The company is hoping that this extra capacity will help increase its exports to Europe and China. Also in India, Indian Oil Corporation has brought its new steam cracker online. The cracker has a total capacity for ethylene and propylene of 1.45 million tpy.

Kuwait
Petrochemical Industries Co has announced plans to construct a US$ 5 billion plant. The plant is expected to produce over 1 million tpy of ethylene and be online by 2015. This will be the company’s third olefins project, building on a total processing capacity of 1.65 million tpy of ethylene.

Saudi Arabia
Middle East Sharq brought its new 1.3 million tpy cracker online in December 2009. The facility has a total processing capacity of 800 000 tpy and adds to the company’s already existing capacity of 750 000 tpy. Yanbu National Petrochemical had to abandon plans to bring its new 500 000 tpy petrochemical facility online at the beginning of this year due to the floods experienced in the Yanbu area. The company are yet to indicate when startup will happen.

Vietnam
Foster Wheeler have been awarded a contract by Nghi Son Refinery & Petrochemical Ltd Liability Company for technical and commercial services at the newly planned Nghi Son Refinery and Petrochemicals complex. As part of the contract for this new joint venture facility, Foster Wheeler will oversee the preparation of enquiry packages and provide all necessary technical and commercial support needed when awarding the engineering, procurement and construction contracts.

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