UpdateTest runs ongoing at ExxonMobil Singapore's new elastomers unit

31 July 2012 10:30  [Source: ICIS news]

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SINGAPORE (ICIS)--Energy giant ExxonMobil is currently conducting test runs at its new 300,000 tonne/year specialty elastomers unit in Singapore, a company spokesperson said on Tuesday.

“The new specialty elastomers plant has…started up and it is in product testing mode,” the spokesperson told ICIS, but declined to provide the specific timeline on when the unit can start commercial operations.

The unit is part of ExxonMobil’s second petrochemical project in Singapore that is expected to be completed within the year.

The project includes a 1m tonne/year cracker and a 220-megawatt (MW) power co-generation unit.

“The project is nearing mechanical completion, and units have been progressively starting up with product qualification activities under way,” the ExxonMobil spokesperson said.

Some of the key utilities units, including the first of the two gas turbine generators for the co-generation plant, have started up.

“These latest milestones follow the milestone we reached in January this year, when we produced our first metallocene polymer in Asia,” the spokesperson said.

Among the plants that started up at the project site include the oxo-alcohol and transalkylation units, two 650,000 tonnes/year polyethylene (PE) units, and a 450,000 tonne/year polypropylene (PP) plant, according to the ExxonMobil spokesperson.

The project also includes an aromatics extraction unit that can produce 340,000 tonnes/year of benzene, as well its paraxylene (PX) output by 80,000 tonnes/year at the site.

“A phased start-up [of the project] will continue throughout this year, as will product qualification activities, the spokesperson said.

“This is a large, complex project, involving many interlocking components and third parties.  As such, our focus is on safe, disciplined start-up process to ensure reliable operations.”

($1 = €0.82)

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By: Nurluqman Suratman

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