ExxonMobil and Sabic are to proceed with their multi-billion dollar petrochemical production joint venture (JV) on the US Gulf Coast. Sabic said in a regulatory filing today that the JV has obtained all the required regulatory approvals, including environmental permits, for the project. Construction is expected to start later this year with completion planned for the first half of 2022. The project will include one of the world’s largest ethane crackers, designed to produce 1.8 million metric tons/year of ethylene, two polyethylene units and an ethylene glycol plant.
On Wednesday, the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality granted air quality permits to Gulf Coast Growth Ventures, the equally-owned JV between the two partners. The complex will be built north of Corpus Christi between the towns of Gregory and Portland. The engineering, procurement and construction contracts for the project were awarded earlier to Chiyoda Kiewit JV and CTCI-McDermott.
ExxonMobil and Sabic are already partners is several JVs in Saudi Arabia, which include a major elastomers manufacturing alliance. The Corpus Christi JV will be Sabic’s first major petchems production venture in the US and is part of the company’s geographic diversification to supply new markets. “The proposed venture would capture competitive feedstock, capitalize on the growing global demand for ethylene-based products, and reinforce Sabic’s strong position in the value chain,” Sabic’s CEO Yousef al-Benyan said earlier.
Sabic is in the process of being acquired by Saudi Aramco. The latter has its own major investment plans in the US via its wholly-owned subsidiary, Motiva Enterprises at Port Arthur, Texas.
By Natasha Alperowicz
Source: Chemical Week
CF Industries Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: CF) today announced that it has closed its acquisition of Incitec Pivot Limited’s (“IPL”) ammonia production complex located in Waggaman, Louisiana. Under the terms of the agreement, CF Industries purchased the Waggaman ammonia plant and related assets for $1.675 billion, subject to adjustments.
The Virgin Atlantic flight was powered entirely by SAF, that was a drop-in replacement for conventional jet fuel, but made solely from sustainable feedstocks. This was enabled through the inclusion of a new bio-based aromatic jet fuel blending component.
Cepsa SA (Madrid) has agreed a deal with C2X, an independent firm owned by AP Moller Holding with AP Moller-Maersk as minority owner, to develop a 300,000 metric tons per year renewable methanol plant at Huelva, Spain.
