Lummus to supply technology for Kazakh butadiene plant

Houston, Texas – Lummus Technology has been selected to supply process technologies for a new petrochemicals plant in Atyrau, Kazakhstan.

Butadiene LLP has selected Lummus’ iC4 Catofin, Catadiene and CDMtbe technologies and BASF's butadiene extraction technology for the facility, said Lummus in a statement 13 March.

The scope of the award includes the technology license and basic engineering for four process units.

Once completed, the units will upgrade a mixed butanes feed to produce 85 kilotonnes per annum (ktpa) of isobutylene, 120ktpa of butadiene, and 40 ktpas methyl tert-butyl ether (MTBE).

The products, according to Lummus, will feed Butadiene LLP's new synthetic rubber production facility and supply to the local Kazakhstan transportation fuels market.

Butadiene LLP is the operator of the $1 billion (€880,000) butadiene rubber joint-venture project currently being constructed by Tatnfet and local company KazMunayGas.

According to KazMunayGas' website, the plant will produce upto 38ktpa of styrene butadiene rubber; 45ktpa of divinyl styrene rubber; 130ktpa of isobutane-isobutylene fraction and 66ktpa of butadiene by 2026.

In addition to the licensed technologies, Butadiene LLP will have access to Lummus' lifecycle services during the implementation and operation stages of the project.

Lummus is the exclusive supplier for the “on-purpose butadiene” Catadiene technology.

Both Catadiene and Catofin technologies utilise Clariant's catalyst systems.

Furthermore, Lummus has been licensing the ‘low-cost, environmentally friendly’ BASF butadiene extraction technology for the past 30 years.