Shell Chemical LP (Shell) has revealed production is now underway at its petrochemicals site on the US Gulf Coast.
Its fourth alpha olefins (AO) unit in Geismar, Louisiana, is expected to see 425,000 extra tonnes produced per year. This will bring the total AO production figure at the USA site to over 1.3 million tonnes every 12 months.
This follows a major expansion production at the facility, which has led to it becoming the largest producer of AO in the world.
Executive vice-president for Shell’s global chemical business Graham van’t Hoff said: “This is a key growth project for Shell’s global chemicals business. Geismar will continue to play a leading role in providing the materials for products than an increasing number of people need and enjoy.”
Start-up operations actually began at the site last month, making Shell’s position in the US Gulf Coast particularly strong by the time 2018 came to an end.
Shell also has several other manufacturing sites in the region, including Norco in Louisiana and Deer Park in Texas, which supports Geismar, and helps it respond to market conditions.
The final investment for the project was delivered in November 2015, with plans to build the world’s largest AO production site in the world having been in the pipeline for several years.
At the time, Mr van’t Hoff stated the increased production of stronger and lighter polyethylene plastic for packaging and bottles was the result of “increased global customer demand for linear alpha olefins”.
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