Tosoh Corp., Tokyo, has let a contract to Toyo Engineering Corp. (TEC) to build a naphtha-cracking furnace for an expansion of ethylene production at its Yokkaichi complex in Mie Prefecture, Japan.
As part of the lump-sum turnkey contract, TEC and fellow domestic subsidiary TEC Project Services Corp. will provide engineering, procurement, and construction for a single cracking, which will be equipped with proprietary technology from CB&I-Chevron Corp. joint-venture Chevron Lummus Global, the service provider said.
While it did not disclose details regarding a value of the EPC contract or capacity of the proposed expansion, TEC did confirm the project is scheduled to be completed in August 2019.
Tosoh in May said it would invest nearly $90 million by 2020 to expand ethylene production at Yokkaichi’s existing 527,000-tonne/year naphtha cracker, according to local Japanese media reports.
In its latest annual report to investors, Tosoh said it continues to operate the Yokkaichi naphtha cracker at full rates amid rising olefins demand, which prompted a decision to increase the cracker’s efficiency. The project was to involve installation of a gas turbine to be completed by spring 2020, the operator said.
Contact Robert Brelsford at [email protected].
