NOVA Chemicals officially opens world's largest ethylene facility
"Ethylene is one of the most important building blocks in the chemical industry. The start-up of Ethylene 3 (E3) not only represents a competitive edge for NOVA Chemicals and Union Carbide, but it also represents a milestone in the evolution of the province's petrochemical industry," said Dan Boivin, president of NOVA Chemicals' olefins/polyolefins business.
"We expect it will achieve lower cash costs per pound of product than any other ethylene plant in North America through economies of scale, top technology, and the efficiencies inherent in our expanded Joffre site infrastructure," said Boivin. E3 is part of a major four-year, CDN$2-billion capital expansion program now wrapping up at the NOVA Chemicals Joffre site.
According to Boivin, Alberta's petrochemical industry is achieving a critical mass. As compared to even five years ago, there are growing Alberta markets for E3's ethylene, a commodity that is not easy to ship long distances. Value-added products that will be produced in Alberta by a variety of E3 customers include polyethylene, ethylene glycol and linear alpha olefins.
At full commercial production rates, on schedule for the fourth quarter of 2000, the plant will produce more than 2.8 billion pounds of ethylene per year. NOVA Chemicals, operator of E3, will use approximately 50% of the production to manufacture polyethylene and to meet long-term sales commitments. Union Carbide's share will be piped north to nearby Prentiss for use in its new polyethylene plant, LP7, and in its two ethylene glycol manufacturing facilities.
The combined ethylene production from three ethylene plants at the Joffre site's will top six billion pounds annually. With NOVA Chemicals additional ethylene production in Ontario, the company ranks fifth in the world in terms of capacity.
Edited by David Nakamura
Managing Editor, Hydrocarbon Online
dnakamura@hydrocarbononline.com