TPC completes second phase of butadiene plant start-up

Houston, Texas – US chemicals supplier TPC Group has completed the second phase of its terminal operations at Port Neches butadiene production site, which was hit by an explosion in November 2019. 

Phase 2 started with butadiene receipts and deliveries to major customers in the area and terminalling crude C4 deliveries by rail and marine, said TPC in a 23 Feb statement.

According to the Texas group, the three-phased start-up involves “significant manpower and capital” and aims to reestablish terminal operations to position the site for future C4 capacity growth.

“We are pleased with the progress we continue to make on reestablishing butadiene, crude C4 and raffinate terminalling capabilities at the Port Neches site,” said Ed Dineen, TPC Group president and CEO. 

“Our ability to provide a safe, environmentally sound terminal with logistics capability to transport product is important to the industry," he added.

Two TPC workers and a contractor were injured in the 27 Nov 2019 blast at the butadiene production site.

At the time of the incident, facility had a nameplate capacity of 426 kilotonnes per year, representing 17% of all US production.