Expansions: Bharat Petroleum selects Lummus tech for Indian ethylene project; BASF/UPC tie-up on plasticiser alcohols and catalysts for China site

Lummus Technology, a global provider of process technologies and value-driven energy solutions, announced an award for multiple technologies from Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited (BPCL) for a new world-scale ethylene plant and associated downstream units in Bina, Madhya Pradesh State, India.

BPCL will license Lummus’ ethylene, low pressure recovery, total C4 hydrogenation, pygas hydrogenation and wet air oxidation technologies, plus Sulzer’s extractive distillation technology. Lummus’ scope also includes heater detail engineering, advisory engineering services and training.

The project is part of BPCL’s Bina Petrochemicals and Refinery Expansion Plan. Once complete, the expansion will produce polymer-grade ethylene and propylene to supply downstream polymer production units, with a capacity of 1,200 kilotonnes/year of ethylene and 550 kilotonnes/year of propylene.

“This award integrates Lummus’ industry-leading light olefins technology and the water treatment technology we recently added to our portfolio,” said Leon de Bruyn, President/CEO, Lummus Technology. “The comprehensive and integrated offering will ensure sustainable water treatment solutions, drive reliable and efficient light olefin production, and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. These benefits align with BPCL’s goal of strengthening its position in India’s petrochemical market.”

Lummus has secured nearly 50% of new project awards since 2000 and licensed more than 200 ethylene plants around the world, accounting for approximately 45% of global ethylene capacity.

In other news, Germany’s BASF has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Taiwan’s UPC Technology Corporation (UPC). This partnership will focus on BASF supplying 2-EH and n-butanol to UPC from its Zhanjiang site, for the manufacture of phthalic anhydride (PA) and maleic anhydride (MA), along with the development of sustainable solutions to reduce carbon emissions from operations and products.

UPC, a leading chemical company within the MiTAC-Synnex Group, specialises in the production of plasticisers and phthalic anhydride. With extensive manufacturing and operational facilities throughout Asia, UPC is currently expanding its production capacity and product portfolio to meet the evolving needs of the customers.

Upon the start-up of the oxo plant at the Zhanjiang site in China in 2025, BASF will supply 2-Ethylhexanol (2-EH) and N-Butanol from the site to support UPC's rapidly growing market demands, especially in South China.

“BASF and UPC have been well-established partners, collaborating in oxo-alcohols and catalysts for phthalic anhydride and maleic anhydride,” said Haibo Tian, Vice President, Industrial Petrochemicals Asia Pacific, BASF. “This strategic agreement represents a key milestone in our partnership. We are confident that with the start-up of our oxo-alcohol production at the Zhanjiang Verbund site in 2025, BASF and UPC will enhance our collaboration on a broader scale and continue to provide innovative and sustainable solutions to the market.”

“Today marks a significant milestone in our journey at UPC,” said Ann Bih, President, UPC Group. “Our long-standing partnership with BASF has been built on mutual trust and shared goals, and this strategic agreement will pave the way for a more comprehensive collaboration between our two companies. As we move forward, we aim to leverage BASF’s expertise in oxo-alcohols and catalysts, enhancing our capabilities in producing high-performance products. Together, we will explore new avenues for innovation and sustainability, ensuring that we meet the evolving needs of our customers and the industry.”

This agreement not only further reinforces the collaboration between BASF and UPC but also sets a solid foundation for the development of sustainable and innovative solutions. Both parties will jointly promote BASF's low-carbon emission products, such as Biomass Balance (BMB) products, and develop new products corresponding to UPC's value chain.

The Zhanjiang site will be BASF’s largest investment to date with around EUR10 billion upon completion. It will be operated under the sole responsibility of BASF and will be the company’s third-largest site worldwide, following Ludwigshafen, Germany, and Antwerp, Belgium.

SUBSCRIBE to Get the Latest Updates from PRA    Click Here»