BP refinery closure raises chemical feed issues
BP chemicals has reaffirmed its plans to carry on chemicals production at Lima, OH, even though British Petroleum has decided to close the 160,000-bbl/day refinery there in two years. The closure will cut off some streams for chemicals production and marketing. {open_quotes}There will be some things to sort out,{close_quotes} the company says, {open_quotes}but we feel they`re manageable issues.{close_quotes} As with many refineries shut down in the past few years in the US, the site will continue to be operated as a terminal and blending facility. The key chemical plant is a 400-million lbs/year acrylonitrile unit, which uses 200 million lbs/year of propylene from the refinery. BP is the top acrylo producer in North America and its expanding its Green Lake, TX plant from 700 million lbs/year to more than 900 million lbs/year by adding a third reactor; the unit is to be onstream by the end of the year. BP says is will be able to find merchant propylene, if necessary, but will be working on {open_quotes}creative{close_quotes} ways of keeping the propylene splitter on-site operating, it says. BP also produces nitrogen, catalysts, and polymers at its site adjacent to the refinery--all of which will stay in operation. Merchant benzene production of 115 million gal/year and captive toluene production of 110 million gal/year will end with the refinery closing.
- OSTI ID:
- 530440
- Journal Information:
- Chemical Week, Journal Name: Chemical Week Journal Issue: 45 Vol. 158; ISSN CHWKA9; ISSN 0009-272X
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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