Bayport Polymers to double polyethylene capacity at Texas facility

Bayport Polymers – the 50:50 joint venture owned by France’s Total and Novealis Holdings – a joint venture of Borealis and Nova Chemicals – has announced the final investment decision to build a polyethylene unit at its production site in Bayport, Texas. The unit is expected to begin production in 2021.

The new unit will have a capacity of a 625,000-tpa of high-density polyethylene (HDPE), that will be added to the existing 400,000-tpa unit.

The unit’s engineering, procurement and construction has been awarded to McDermott.

Formed in May 2018, Bayport Polymers is currently building one-million-tons per year steam cracker in Port Arthur, Texas. This cracker will process ethane, which is abundantly available and competitively priced in the US and will supply Bayport polyethylene units.

“The power of this partnership bet-ween Total, Borealis and NOVA Chemicals will enable us to become one of the largest players in the North American polyethylene market,” said Bayport Polymers President Ms. Diane Chamberlain. “The Borstar technology, which will be used for the first time in North America, will allow us to better serve our customers with an increased range of high-value-added products,” she added.

“The project is in line with our strategy to develop petrochemicals at our major integrated complexes and leverage competitively priced feedstocks. It is another step to strengthen our position in the US, where we operate one of our 6 world largest integrated platforms in Port Arthur, Texas,” said Mr. Bernard Pinatel, President Refining & Chemicals of Total.