Dow restarts Taft 2 ethylene plant on schedule

Dow Chemical Co. said it restarted its Taft 2 ethylene plant near Hahnville, La., late last year, meeting its anticipated schedule as the company works to boost feedstocks from increasing US shale gas supplies.

Taft 2, also called the St. Charles olefins plant, was idled in January 2009. It began producing on-spec ethylene on Dec. 25, 2012.

OGJ’s ethylene survey shows the plant has a capacity of 410,000 tonnes/year. Dow said it does not release plant-specific figures.

Dow is working increase ethylene supply and ethane cracking capabilities at its existing plants along the coast of the Gulf of Mexico.