PTT-PC/Mitsubishi sign deal

09 December 1996 00:00  [Source: ACN]

PTT Petrochemical Co (PTT-PC) and Mitsubishi Chemical signed an agreement last week to produce oxo-alcohols in Thailand. The project is one of the downstream units proposed for the NPC3 cracker. It is expected to be completed at end-1998.

The US$130m investment will produce 100 000 tonne/year of 2-ethylhexanol (2-EH) and 70 000 tonne/year of butanol. The 50:50 joint venture is to be called Oxonol-Thailand.

Mitsubishi will supply the technology. Raw material will come from National Petrochemical Co (NPC).

Oxo-alcohol output will be sold in Thailand and exported, Mitsubishi told ACN.

The deal with Mitsubishi has affirmed the Petroleum Authority of Thailand (PTT)'s determination to push ahead with the NPC3 project, even though the cracker partnership details are yet to be finalised. The 600 000 tonne/year ethylene cracker is due to start up in 2000.

This year, PTT-PC also signed a 200 000 tonne/year PE deal with DSM and feasibility studies have been completed (ACN 1 July, p18). Other downstream projects planned for the NPC3 complex include ethylene oxide and ethylene glycol, hdPE/lldPE and ldPE.

PTT-PC was set up to steer NPC3. It is 75% owned by PTT and 25% by NPC.

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