Construction is Complete on New Gulf Coast Ethylene Plant in Texas

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The following is an advisory by Industrialinfo.com (Industrial Information Resources, Inc; Houston, Texas). BASF Fina Petrochemicals LP has completed mechanical construction and is now in the commissioning phase of a new steam cracker in Port Arthur, Texas that will produce 920,000 metric tons per year ethylene and 550,000 metric tons per year propylene. ABB Lummus Global was the turn-key contractor for the project and HB Zachary Company performed construction management. Construction for the new plant began in 1998 and commercial operation could start by November 2001.

This new plant is the result of a 60:40 joint venture of BASF AG (NYSE: BF) (Ludwigshafen, Germany) and AtoFina Chemicals Incorporated, the chemical branch of TotalFinaElf (NYSE: TOT) (Courbevoie, France). The new cracker will provide AtoFina with its first captive source of ethylene in North America and supply BASF plants in Freeport, Texas and Geismar, Louisiana as well as other North American sites. BASF will operate the facility that is expected to have a full-time staff of 157 employees.