US Arcanum begins producing 1-butene at Texas site

HOUSTON (ICIS)–Arcanum has attained successful production of 1-butene at its Baytown complex in Texas, the US-based firm announced on Monday.

Company officials said initial start-up activities at the Raven facility began last year.

“We initiated the start-up activities late last year and reached full performance around mid-year,” said Nicholas Stewart, general manager of Raven 1-Butene. “Starting a new process during normal times is challenging but Covid-19 [coronavirus] made it even more complicated.”

1-butene is a linear alpha olefin (LAO) used in the production of various chemicals such as linear low-density polyethylene (LLDPE) and high-density polyethylene (HDPE).

According to the ICIS Supply and Demand Database, Arcanum has two units at the site, each capable of producing 50,000 tonnes/year.

The company did not immediately reply to a request for additional comment.

The new production boosts domestic supply by almost 21%, according to the database.

Other 1-butene producers are TPC Group, Shell Chemical, ExxonMobil and Chevron Phillips.

Arcanum’s 1-butene production uses the AlphaButol technology developed by Axens Solutions in cooperation with Sabic, which uses dimerization, or the conversion of olefins into higher-octane gasoline blending components through a chemical reaction joining two molecules to form a single one.

Axens CEO Jean Sentenac said this was the first project in the US to use the technology.

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Photo of polyethylene (PE) pellets by Al Greenwood