Criterion Catalyst Scopes Major Unit Addition for Gulf Coast Catalyst Plant to Support Refining Markets

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Researched by Industrial Info Resources (Sugar Land, Texas). In June 2006, Criterion Catalyst & Technologies LP (Houston, Texas), a subsidiary of Shell Oil Products Company (Houston, Texas), acquired 100% ownership of the Port Allen, Louisiana plant it had previously owned a portion of in partnership with Southern Ionics, Incorporated (West Point, Mississippi). Criterion has restarted the precipitated alumina plant that has been idled several times in recent years and plans to invest in several major capital projects at the site in the near future.

Criterion expects to publicly name the selected E+P+C (engineering, planning and construction) contractor this month for a planned retrofit of the plant that will require a major modification of the plant feed system. This estimated $18 million project will require the installation of a precipitator to process alum and sodium aluminate. Construction is scheduled to begin during the first quarter of 2007.

Criterion is also working with Shell’s technology group for the scoping of a major hydrotreating catalyst unit addition at the site that will cost in excess of $100 million to construct. S&B Engineers & Constructors, Limited (Houston, Texas) has been hired to help assemble the project’s scope and cost estimates with the anticipation of receiving capital approval and a selection of an E+P+C contractor during the second quarter of 2007. The U.S. Petroleum Refining Industry is still running strong and these projects will help Criterion position itself to profit from the continually increasing demand for higher performance hydroprocessing catalysts.

This new catalyst unit by Criterion represents the largest investment in this segment of the Chemical Processing Industry (CPI) in the United States since Albemarle Corporation (Baton Rouge, Louisiana) hired URS Corporation (Houston, Texas) and Austin Industrial (Houston, Texas) to construct its nearly $40 million expansion of its catalyst plant in Pasadena, Texas by an estimated 10,000 metric tons per year. Construction for this project is expected to be complete by years’ end. Read the related Industry Alert titled: Albemarle Begins Construction for Major Expansion of Texas Catalyst Plant.

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