US Dow’s expanded cracker flexible on feedstock – exec

NEW YORK (ICIS)–US-based Dow Chemical’s recently expanded cracker in Plaquemine, Louisiana can crack over 80% ethane while maintaining feedstock flexibility, a senior executive said on Thursday.

“We’ve exceeded the original design [capability] by proving the plant’s ability to crack over 80% ethane and we’ve maintained the flexibility to switch between ethane and propane,” said Jim Fitterling, Dow president and chief operating officer.

“It’s the most flexible unit in our fleet now and that’s going to provide big advantages in Louisiana, which, if anything, from time to time gets tight in that pocket,” he noted.

The plant, which was expanded by 250,000 tonnes/year in late 2016, can also crack butane and naphtha, he added. The LA-3 cracker unit previously had capacity of 758,000 tonnes/year of ethylene, according to ICIS plants and projects.