Total Inaugurates Demonstration Unit Signaling ...
TOTAL S.A.
Total Inaugurates Demonstration Unit Signaling a New Direction in Plastics
Production
At its petrochemicals complex in Feluy, Belgium, Total today inaugurated a
demonstration plant intended to produce olefins and polyolefins from methanol.
The integrated unit is the world's first application of an innovative technology
that helps to diversify the source of plastic feedstock.
The inauguration was attended by Jean-Claude Marcourt, Minister for Economy,
Employment and Foreign Trade for the Belgian region of Wallonia,
François Cornélis, Vice Chairman of the Executive Committee and President of
Chemicals at Total, and Jean-François Minster, Senior Vice President, Scientific
Development, Total.
Worldwide, the petrochemicals industry currently relies on oil and natural gas
derivatives, naphtha or ethane, to produce olefins. These are subsequently
converted into polyolefins, the raw material for plastics.
The pilot plant at Feluy was designed to assess, on a quasi-industrial scale,
the technical feasibility and cost effectiveness of two integrated processes
that produce olefins and subsequently polyolefins from methanol, which can be
obtained from natural gas, coal or biomass. First, the UOP*/Hydro Methanol To
Olefins (MTO) process converts methanol into light olefins (ethylene and
propylene) and heavier olefins. The heavy olefins are in turn converted into
light olefins, more specifically into propylene, via the UOP/Total
Petrochemicals Olefin Cracking Process (OCP). All of these olefins are then
converted into polyolefins at the existing pilot polymerization unit located
nearby, at Total's research center in Feluy.
Requiring a EUR 45 million investment, the new MTO/OCP unit is a major
technological and strategic project that will help Total to meet two key
challenges. First, it will enable the Group to diversify its sources of
petrochemicals feedstock, by reducing its dependence on oil. Second, the
integrated unit will increase propylene yield, which is a major market advantage
at a time of strong international demand for polypropylene.
'Given that energy demand will continue to grow, petroleum supply will be tight
and the prices should stay at a high level, we firmly believe that the methanol
to olefins process will play a vital role in the production of petrochemical
products in the future,' said François Cornélis. 'Integrating the methanol to
olefins and olefin cracking processes makes it possible to produce light olefins
at a very reasonable cost.'
* UOP is a subsidiary of the Honeywell Group.
*******
Total is one of the world's major oil and gas groups, with activities in more
than 130 countries. Its 96,000 employees put their expertise to work in every
part of the industry - exploration and production of oil and natural gas,
refining and marketing, gas & power and trading. Total is working to keep the
world supplied with energy, both today and tomorrow. The Group is also a first
rank player in chemicals. www.total.com
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