ExxonMobil shuts down high pressure line at Texas PE plant

22 May 2012 14:52  [Source: ICIS news]

HOUSTON (ICIS)--US polyethylene (PE) producer ExxonMobil shut down a high pressure line at its Beaumont, Texas, PE plant on 20 May, following a release of ethylene, according to a public filing available on Tuesday.

The company said a problem with the PSV valve on a high pressure line caused the release, according to a filing with the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality. The company shut the unit down, the filing states.

It was not clear whether the unit was still shut down.

A company spokesperson did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

ExxonMobil has a 235,000 tonne/year capacity low density polyethylene (LDPE) unit and a 705,000 tonne/year linear low density polyethylene (LLDPE) unit at the site, according to ICIS plants and projects.

The company has reported numerous outages at the Beaumont plant, beginning with a problem in December, which resulted in LDPE customers being placed on allocation. The company reported additional problems in 4 March, 20 March and 17 April.

It was not clear whether the allocation continued.

By: Michelle Klump
+1 713 525 2653

For the latest chemical news, data and analysis that directly impacts your business sign up for a free trial to ICIS news - the breaking online news service for the global chemical industry.

Get the facts and analysis behind the headlines from our market leading weekly magazine: sign up to a free trial to ICIS Chemical Business.

Printer Friendly