LyondellBasell considering adding still more ethylene capacity in Texas

Material supplier LyondellBasell Industries is evaluating a further expansion project at its plant in Channelview, Tex. – which would be the fourth such expansion if approved.

If given the green light, the expansion would add up to 550 million lbs/year of ethylene, the company said in a statement, and anticipated completion would be 2017.

“Our strategy continues to be the cost-effective expansion of existing facilities to take swift advantage of abundant supplies of low-cost natural gas and ethane from shale production,” said Tim Roberts, executive v.p./olefins and polyolefins, Americas at Houston, Tex.-based LyondellBasell.

The proposed expansion would be in addition to work under way to install two large cracking furnaces at the site that are slated to increase production by 250 million lbs/year when completed early next year. LyondellBasell is also increasing ethylene capacity at two other Texas plants. An 800-million lbs/year expansion has just been completed at La Porte, and an additional 800 million lbs/year of capacity is being added at Corpus Christi, for completion in late 2015.

The three previously announced projects are slated to add a total of 1.85 billion lbs of annual ethylene capacity. This figure will increase to 2.40 billion lbs if the additional expansion project at Channelview is completed.