Chinese operator lets contract for new chemical plant

Hainan Huasheng New Material Technology Co. Ltd. (Hainan Huasheng) has let a contract to KBR Inc. to provide technology licensing and basic engineering design (LBED) for Bisphenol A technology for a grassroots plant in Dongfang City, Hainan Province, China.

As part of the LBED contract package, KBR will license Mitsubishi Chemical Corp.’s (MCC) proprietary BPA technology, as well as deliver commissioning, start-up support, and training services for the new 240,000 tonnes/year BPA plant, the service provider said.

"The quality of BPA product is essential to our downstream nonphosgene-based polycarbonate unit. By using this advanced BPA process, which combines MCC's operational knowledge and KBR's phenolic chain experience, we are confident this project will be a great success," said Yao Guangqian, Hainan Huasheng’s general manager.

Licensed by KBR, MCC’s BPA production technology uses a proprietary, high-conversion and selectivity catalyst that improves yields and reduces byproducts while limiting energy consumption, according to KBR’s website.

KBR disclosed neither a value of the contract nor a timeframe for the project’s completion.