Williams Partners expanded US olefins plant on track for June

HOUSTON (ICIS)–Williams Partners announced on Friday that its olefins plant in Geismar, Louisiana, has resumed consistent operations and is expected to achieve its full expanded production rate in June.

The plant resumed consistent operations in late March and is expected to produce ethylene at the base plant’s production rate through May, reaching its expanded rate in June, the company said in a statement.

The expanded plant experienced a setback when a new transformer that supplied power to a plant expansion compressor unexpectedly failed. The transformer is being repaired at the original manufacturer’s facility.

The US-based company stated that the plant is continuing to improve production rates due to the ability to use equipment installed as part of the plant’s expansion, and expects to reach its expanded production rate once the repaired transformer is installed.

Base ethylene production capacity at the plant is approximately 612,350 tonnes per year, while the expanded capacity is approximately 884,505 tonnes per year.

Williams Partner’s share of the total capacity of the expanded plant is approximately 771,107 tonnes per year.