Ethanol-to-PE plant viable with oil above $45/bbl - Braskem

07 May 2009 22:44  [Source: ICIS news]

HOUSTON (ICIS news)--Ethanol-based polyethylene (PE) can compete with regular PE provided crude oil prices stay above $45/bbl, Brazilian petrochemicals producer Braskem said on Thursday.

Braskem is investing Brazilian reais (R) 500m ($237m, €178m) in such a PE plant that will have a production capacity of 200,000 tonnes/year.

The company plans to finish construction of the facility by the end of 2010, a Braskem official said during a conference call with investors.

Braskem, Latin America’s largest petrochemicals producer, expects to become the first company in the world to launch large-scale production of PE from feedstock ethanol.

($1 = R2.11, $1 = €0.75)

For more on ethanol visit ICIS chemical intelligence
Bookmark Doris de Guzman's Green Chemicals Blog for views on green chemistry and sustainability
For more on Braskem’s plants, visit ICIS plants and projects

By: William Lemos
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