Air Liquide has expanded its utilities supply agreement with LyondellBasell for its new propylene oxide (PO) and tertiary butyl alcohol (TBA) project in the Houston area. This agreement comes in addition to the long-term contract already signed with LyondellBasell to supply oxygen for this project, which will be the world’s largest PO/TBA plant. With this new long-term agreement and related investment Air Liquide reinforces its presence as a major supplier in the Gulf Coast.
The PO/TBA project is comprised of facilities in two sites, with the PO/TBA plant to be located in the LyondellBasell Channelview Complex in Channelview, Texas; and the associated ethers unit in the company’s Bayport Complex in Pasadena, Texas. With this newly expanded long-term utilities agreement, Air Liquide will supply steam, electricity, treated water and nitrogen to the PO/TBA project’s ethers unit.
In April 2018, Air Liquide signed a separate long-term agreement to supply oxygen to the PO/TBA project’s Channelview location. These two agreements confirm Air Liquide’s long-term partnership with LyondellBasell and Air Liquide’s presence as a major supplier of industrial gas and utilities to the project.
LyondellBasell announced in July 2017 its decision to build the world’s largest PO/TBA plant as part of its organic growth program. The project is designed to meet rising global demand for both urethanes and cleaner-burning oxyfuels. Start-up is expected in 2021.
Susan Ellerbusch, CEO of Air Liquide USA LLC, said: “Air Liquide and LyondellBasell have a long and complementary history in the Gulf Coast region of the US. We appreciate their continued trust and recognition of Air Liquide’s customer focus and commitment to safe, reliable and sustainable solutions to help them realise the fullest potential of their new world scale investments.”
