AFPM ’18: NOVA Chemicals explores PE options for US Geismar site – exec

SAN ANTONIO (ICIS)–Canada-based NOVA Chemicals is exploring options for building at least one polyethylene (PE) plant at its Geismar, Louisiana site, a senior executive said on Sunday.

“We have 500-plus acres that can be developed. NOVA is an ethane-to-PE-margin-focused company, so in the long term, we want to leverage our ethylene,” said Naushad Jamani, senior vice president, olefins and feedstock at NOVA Chemicals.

Jamani spoke to ICIS on the sidelines of this year’s International Petrochemical Conference (IPC).

“We have enough ethylene for one or even two world-scale PE facilities,” he added.

Jamani said NOVA’s portion of the Geismar cracker, which it acquired from Williams Companies in July 2017, accounts for around 1.7bn-1.8bn lb/year (771,000-816,000 tonnes/year) of ethylene capacity, all of which is sold on the merchant market.

While a PE project in Geismar is in the long-term plans, the focus is currently on Sarnia, Ontario, Canada where it is building its 430,000 tonne/year linear low density PE (LLDPE) project, for start-up in late 2021 or early 2022, he said.

NOVA’s 625,000 tonne/year joint venture PE project with Total and Borealis in Bayport, Texas, is also awaiting regulatory approvals, which could come as soon as May 2018. Start-up would likely be in early 2021, Jamani added.

Hosted by the American Fuel & Petrochemical Manufacturers (AFPM), the IPC takes place on 25-27 March in San Antonio, Texas.

Interview article by Joseph Chang