Chevron Phillips expanding mercaptan plant by over 40 percent

ERJ staff report (PR)

Tessenderlo, Belgium – Chevron Phillips Chemical Co. LLC is increasing the capacity of its mercaptans plant in Tessenderlo, Belgium in response to increasing demand for the products in the global rubber and plastics industries.

The expansion of the operation - run by subsidiary Chevron Phillips Chemicals Int. NV - includes an ‘on-purpose’ hydrogen sulfide (H2S) unit and additional sulphur-based products capacity, the company said 28 March.

Production capacity at the Tessenderlo site will increase by more than 40 percent as a result of this expansion, Chevron Phillips noted. Construction is expected to be completed in the second quarter of 2014, while a new control room has already been installed on-site in preparation for the upgrade.

The expansion is in response to increasing global demand for synthetic rubbers and plastics, according to Peter Bastemeijer, product line manager for specialty chemicals in Europe at Chevron Phillips Chemical NV.

“Demand for organosulfur products is expected to continue to grow, particularly for those materials used as chain transfer agents like tertiary dodecyl mercaptan or TDM,” said Bastemeijer. “Chevron Phillips Chemical NV is increasing capacity in order to respond to customer needs throughout the world, especially in Europe and Asia.”

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Press release