COASTAL CHEM BREAKS GROUND ON MTBE PLANT
Coastal Chem Inc. has broken ground on what it claims is the world's first fully integrated methyl tertiary butyl ether complex in Cheyenne, Wyo.
The $72 million complex, to include a dedicated methanol plant, is expected to be complete in spring 1992.
Eighty to 90% of the methanol unit's 22 million gal/year output will be dedicated to the 4,000 b/d MTBE unit.
MARKETING PLANS
Coastal plans to sell MTBE produced in Cheyenne to Rocky Mountain refiners (OGJ, Jan. 29, 1990, Newsletter).
Several Rocky Mountain states and metropolitan areas have implemented new rules requiring minimum oxygen levels in gasoline to cut carbon monoxide levels during winter months.
Most MTBE plants being built to supply the oxygenate for reformulated gasoline are sized to use available isobutylene capacity from refinery fluid catalytic cracking operations.
The methanol feed generally comes from outside supply sources.
Davy McKee Corp.'s U.S. process division will handle engineering and construction on the job. Davy McKee contends the plant will be the most cost efficient MTBE plant in the U.S.
PROJECT DETAILS
In the process, Coastal will produce isobutylene feedstock for the MTBE process using Engelhard Corp. technology to isomerize field butane and Phillips Petroleum Co. technology to dehydrogenate isobutane.
Methanol feedstock will be produced with ICI methanol technology and Davy KcKee steam methane reforming.
Natural gas and butane feedstocks will be delivered by Coastal Corp. unit Colorado Interstate Gas Co.
Coastal's MTBE/methanol complex will adjoin its fertilizer and livestock feed supplement plant in Cheyenne.
Copyright 1991 Oil & Gas Journal. All Rights Reserved.