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Construction on LyondellBasell’s world-scale propylene oxide (PO) and tertiary butyl alcohol (TBA) plant has achieved another key milestone. The installation of several large pieces of process equipment, including a gargantuan 601-ton distillation tower that soars 25 stories high, is now taking place, marking a shift from infrastructure work to vertical assembly.

The project will create
2500 construction jobs.

“We are now a year and a half into construction with 4.75 million man hours on the job,” said Joe Dorsch, PO/TBA project director. “Making sure each and every person on the job goes home safely is our number one priority and maintaining this rigorous focus has helped us achieve several key safety milestones for the project.”

The PO/TBA plant will produce 1 billion pounds (470,000 metric tons) of PO and 2.2 billion pounds (1 million metric tons) of TBA annually once in operation. PO is used to make bedding, furniture, carpeting, coatings, building materials and adhesives, while TBA is converted to produce two ether-based oxyfuels, methyl tertiary butyl ether (MTBE) and ethyl tertiary butyl ether (ETBE). Both MTBE and ETBE are high-octane gasoline components.

The PO/TBA project has a split-facility design to optimize synergies between two existing LyondellBasell sites. A 140-acre PO/TBA plant is being built at the company’s Channelview, Texas facility and an associated 34-acre ethers unit is being built at the company’s Bayport Complex in Pasadena, Texas. Construction on the overall project has now surpassed 30 percent completion. Over the next few months, manpower will continue to ramp up at both sites as more large pieces of equipment are delivered and installed.

The PO/TBA project broke ground in August 2018,
and is part of the LYB’s multi-billion investment.

The PO/TBA project broke ground in August 2018 and is part of the company’s multi-billion dollar series of investments along the U.S. Gulf Coast. Based on an analysis by the Greater Houston Partnership, LyondellBasell’s $2.4 billion PO/TBA project is estimated to generate more than $450 million in tax benefits for the county, school district, community college and other local taxing districts over a 10-year period. The total project will create approximately 2,500 construction jobs at the peak of construction and 160 permanent positions.

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Construction of LyondellBasell’s propylene oxide, tertiary butyl alcohol plant continues to progress with the installation of its largest pieces of equipment, such as this 25-story-tall distillation tower being set in place at the Channelview site. Once in operation, the PO/TBA plant will be the largest of its kind in the world.

• Source: Company Press Release
• Author: Editor

• Tags
• LyondellBasell
• Captital Project
• Proprietary Technology
• EPC
• Construction Phase