Praxair Inc., an independent corporation created by the spinoff of Union Carbide Corp.'s Linde division, is extending its high purity hydrogen pipeline system from Channelview, Tex., to Port Arthur, Tex.
The 70 mile, 10 in. extension begins at a new pressure swing adsorption (PSA) purification unit next to Lyondell Petrochemical Co.'s Channelview plant. The PSA unit will upgrade hydrogen offgas from Lyondell's methanol plant to 99.99% purity hydrogen.
The new line, advancing at a rate of about 1 mile/day, will reach its first customer, Star Enterprise's 250,000 b/d Port Arthur refinery, in September. Start-up is scheduled Sept. 15 with deliveries of 35 MMcfd.
Star Enterprise is building a 25,000 b/d hydrotreater that will require the hydrogen. However, the new line will be able to move 100 MMcfd of hydrogen as part of Praxair's system, which will involve 150 total miles of line.
Praxair is looking for other suppliers and users.
HYDROGEN DEMAND
C.D. McConnell, Southwest region manager of Praxair, expects hydrogen demand in the corridor this line serves to grow to 150 MMcfd by 1995. Praxair Chairman H. William Lichtenberger predicted a bright future for hydrogen, saying, "America's refiners need high purity hydrogen as they reformulate gasoline and diesel fuel to reduce pollution."
A heavier crude slate also will require more hydrogen (OGJ, July 27, p. 92).
McConnell sees a need for more "on purpose" hydrogen plants, particularly in California, which has few basic petrochemical plants and therefore offers few opportunities to tap hydrogen offgases. Praxair and Texaco Inc., one of the Star Enterprise partners, this year formed a joint venture to develop and operate high purity hydrogen production facilities.
The venture joins Texaco's hydrocarbon gasification technology with Praxair's cryogenic and advanced air separation technology.
The new Channelview-Port Arthur line expands Praxair's Houston area system. The entire system will be controlled by an existing center at Deer Park, Tex. Information is supplied to it by microwave, telephone lines, and satellite.
Lyondell joins Quantum Chemical Corp. and Union Carbide Chemicals & Plastics Co. Inc. as the third supplier of hydrogen to the system.
Lichtenberger described the measures to protect the line and its neighbors.
"The law" he said, "says we only have to test certain joint welds along the pipeline. We test every single joint weld, and we sample and analyze the metal in each pipe run."
--end--
