Shintech starts up new US Louisiana cracker

HOUSTON (ICIS)–Shintech has begun ethylene production at its new 500,000 tonne/year ethane cracker in Plaquemine, Louisiana, US, a contractor for the project announced.

Toyo Engineering provided the project’s engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) for the project.

The cracker, which will supply feedstock for the Shintech’s vinyl chloride (VCM) and polyvinyl chloride (PVC) production, has been in commissioning since February 2019.

The latest of recent US Gulf Coast start-ups, the cracker will further back-integrate Shintech’s PVC production with ethylene made from low-cost ethane.

A representative from Shintech was not immediately available for comment.

PVC is used for applications including pipes and profiles, in the automobile industry and for medical devices.

Major US PVC  producers include Occidental Chemical, Westlake Chemical, Shintech and Formosa Plastics.

Ethylene is a key petrochemical feedstock, used to make polyethylene (PE), ethylene glycol (EG) and polyvinyl chloride (PVC) among other products.

Major US ethylene producers include Chevron Phillips Chemical, Dow, ExxonMobil, INEOS Olefins & Polymers, LyondellBasell and Shell Chemical.

Additional reporting by Bill Bowen and Jessie Waldheim