Mexican ethane unit due Technip technology

March 31, 2011
A joint venture of Braskem of Brazil and Idesa Group of Mexico will use Technip technology for a 1.05-million tonne/year (tpy) ethane cracker at its Ethylene XXI complex under development in Mexico.

By OGJ editors
HOUSTON, Mar. 31
-- A joint venture of Braskem of Brazil and Idesa Group of Mexico will use Technip technology for a 1.05-million tonne/year (tpy) ethane cracker at its Ethylene XXI complex under development in Mexico.

The Braskem-Idesa venture expects to invest $2.5 billion in the complex. Technip said start-up is due by the end of 2014.

The project, in the Coatzacoalcos/Nanchital region of Veracruz, also includes three polyethylene units.

It will use LyndellBasell technology for a 300,000 tpy low-density polyethylene unit and Ineos technology for two high-density polyethylene units with combined capacity of 750,000 tpy.

Technip will provide front-end engineering design for the ethane cracker and HDPE units.

Braskem-Idesa has a 20-year contact with state-owned Pemex for the supply of 66,000 b/d of ethane to feed the cracker.

Braskem holds 65% of the venture, Idesa 35%.