THAILAND/UNITED STATES: PTTGC plans ethane cracker plant in US

PTT Global Chemical Plc (PTTGC) is expected to finalize plans to develop a petrochemical complex in the US by next year after a delay caused by falling global oil prices.

The ethane cracker plant based on shale gas in Belmont County, Ohio is to be finalized in terms of partnership, finance and design in early 2017, said chairman Prasert Bunsumpun.

He said completion of the petrochemical complex would take two years, by which time low oil prices should help reduce energy, feedstock and development costs.

The plant costing USD 5.7 billion will have an annual capacity to produce 1 million tons of ethylene, 700,000 tons of high-density polyethylene, 500,000 tons of monoethylene glycol and 100,000 tons of ethylene oxide.

"The new complex will use shale gas from the Marcellus formation, and the project will be located near off-taker facilities to boost the project's logistical efficiency," Mr Prasert said.

Ethylene and downstream polymers produced at the complex will help replace US imports of such commodities.

Last year, PTTGC teamed up with Japanese trading firm Marubeni to revive the project.

Source: Daily “Bangkok Post”, Bangkok; 26 Apr 2016

(Syed Rashid Ali, Karachi, Pakistan)