Bayport Polymers, a US joint venture of French oil and gas company Total and Novealis Holdings, has announced final investment decision to build a 625,000tpa polyethylene unit at its production site in Bayport, Texas.
Image: The new facility is scheduled to go on stream in 2021. Photo courtesy of James Knight/Freeimages.com
Novealis Holdings is a joint venture of Austrian polyethylene and polypropylene producer Borealis and NOVA Chemicals of Canada.
The new facility, which will use Borstar technology and more than double the site’s polyethylene capacity to 1.1mtpa, is scheduled to go on stream in 2021.
The EPC contract for the new unit has been awarded to McDermott. Around 1,750 people are expected to be employed during the peak of construction.
Bayport Polymers president Diane Chamberlain said: “The power of this partnership between Total, Borealis and NOVA Chemicals will enable us to become one of the largest players in the North American polyethylene market.
“The Borstar technology, which will be used for the first time in North America, will allow us to better serve our customers with an increased range of high-value-added products.”
Bayport Polymers, launched in May 2018, is building a 1mtpa steam cracker in Port Arthur, Texas. The cracker will process ethane – abundantly available and competitively priced in the US – and will supply the product to Bayport polyethylene units.
Total president of refining and chemicals Bernard Pinatel said: “The project is in line with our strategy to develop petrochemicals at our major integrated complexes and leverage competitively priced feedstocks.
“It’s another step to strengthen our position in the United States, where we have more than 5,000 employees and where we operate one of our 6 world largest integrated platforms in Port Arthur, Texas.”
According to Borealis CEO Alfred Stern, the final investment decision is a milestone in the development of the partnership, and a major step in the global market presence of its Borstar technology.
NOVA Chemicals CEO Todd Karran said: “Partnering with Total and Borealis and bringing Borstar technology to North America will allow us to better serve our customers throughout the Americas by delivering a broader slate of products that help make everyday life healthier, easier and safer.”