BASF Petronas venture launches Malaysian petrochemical complex

Oct. 4, 2001
BASF Petronas Chemicals Sdn Bhd Thursday launched its Verbund petrochemicals site in Kuantan, Malaysia. The integrated chemical complex comprises 12 plants.

By the OGJ Online Staff

HOUSTON, Oct. 4 -- BASF Petronas Chemicals Sdn Bhd Thursday launched its Verbund petrochemicals site in Kuantan, Malaysia.

The firm is a 60-40 joint venture between BASF Aktiengesellschaft, Ludwigshafen, Germany, and Malaysia's national petroleum corporation Petroliam Nasional Berhad (Petronas).

The plant is the largest German chemical investment in Asia and BASF�s first Verbund site in the region.

The 150-hectare integrated chemical complex comprises 12 plants in three phases, producing acrylic monomers, oxo alcohols, and butanediol. The acrylics complex was completed in July last year. A complex for the production of syngas, oxo alcohols, phthalic acid anhydride, and plasticizers became operational in April. A butanediol complex is scheduled to start up in the fourth quarter. Capital expenditures for the projects at the site will be 900 million Euros.

The combined production capacity of the plants will be more than 1 million tonnes/year. More than 80% of the products will be exported to customers in the Asia-Pacific region.

By 2010, BASF aims to derive 20% of its chemical sales from Asia-Pacific, 70% percent of which would come from Malaysian production. A week ago, BASF broke ground for its second Verbund site in Asia at Nanjing, China.