Honeywell (NYSE: HON) announced today that Jiangsu Sailboat Petrochemical Co., Ltd. will use Honeywell UOP's C3 Oleflex technology to produce 700,000 metric tons per year of polymer-grade propylene at its facility in Lianyungang City in China's Jiangsu Province.
Image: Honeywell headquarters in Morris Plains, New Jersey. Photo: courtesy of David Joseph Photography/Wikipedia.org.
Jiangsu Sailboat will expand its existing facility, which uses Honeywell UOP’s methanol-to-olefins (MTO) process to produce ethylene and propylene. The facility’s additional output of propylene will further help China meet its demand for plastics used to make a wide range of consumer goods.
Honeywell UOP, a leading technology provider for the oil and gas industry, will provide licensing and a process design package, equipment, on-site operator training, technical services, and catalysts and adsorbents for the project.
“As demand for propylene derivatives for consumer products in China continues to rise, UOP’s Oleflex technology provides greater energy and cost efficiency than other propane dehydrogenation technologies,” said Bryan Glover, vice president and general manager of Honeywell UOP’s Process Technology and Equipment business. “Customers such as Jiangsu Sailboat also find the technology to be environmentally preferable and provide a higher return on investment.”
Honeywell UOP’s C3 Oleflex technology uses catalytic dehydrogenation to convert propane to propylene. Its low-energy consumption, low-emissions and fully recyclable, platinum-alumina-based catalyst system helps minimize its impact on the environment. It is designed to have a lower cash cost of production and higher return on investment compared to other technologies. The independent reaction and regeneration sections enable steady-state operations, improved operating flexibility and a high on-stream factor and reliability. Honeywell UOP also licenses C4 Oleflex technology, which converts isobutane to isobutylene, the primary ingredient for making high-octane fuel additives and synthetic rubber.
Including this project, Honeywell UOP’s Oleflex technology has been selected for a majority of propane and isobutane dehydrogenation projects globally since 2011. The agreement with Jiangsu Sailboat marks Honeywell’s 36th award in China for its proprietary Oleflex technology. Since the technology was first commercialized nearly 30 years ago, UOP has commissioned 31 Oleflex units for on-purpose propylene and isobutylene production. Global production capacity of propylene from Oleflex technology now stands at approximately 7.3 million metric tons per year.
Source: Company Press Release