Air Liquide says it plans to invest over $100 million in a new air separation unit (ASU) on its Gulf Coast pipeline network at Ingleside, Texas.
The move follows the signing of a long-term agreement with Steel Dynamics (SDI), one of the largest steel producers and metals recyclers in the US, to supply gaseous oxygen, nitrogen, and argon to SDI’s steel mill at Sinton, Texas.
The ASU will have the capacity to produce over 770 metric tons/day of oxygen, as well as nitrogen and argon to supply SDI’s planned 3-million metric tons/year steel mill starting up in 2021. Air Liquide will also add 45 kilometers of pipeline connecting SDI to its Gulf Coast pipeline system, strengthening the company’s position in the US Gulf Coast region and in the growing industrial basin of Corpus Christi where it has been present since the mid-1930s.
Air Liquide’s ability to provide large volumes of oxygen and nitrogen from Corpus Christi, Texas, to New Orleans, Louisiana, via its integrated production and supply pipeline network provides its customers with an enhanced competitiveness over the long term, the company says.
The project will strengthen the US steel industry through the establishment of the largest steel mill in Texas, says Michael Graff, executive vice president and executive committee member at Air Liquide. “The investment in this ASU and pipeline infrastructure will further enhance Air Liquide’s network capabilities and leadership position in the Gulf Coast, allowing us to meet the growing industrial gas demands of our customers in the region,” he says.
By: Natasha Alperowicz
Source: Chemical Week
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