30-09-2013
LyondellBasell opens chemical research center in Houston
LyondellBasell today announced the opening of the 70,000-square-foot Houston Technology Center to develop process technologies and chemical catalysts for its Intermediates and Derivatives business.
Research and development activities at the facility will focus on improving catalyst and process technologies to reduce manufacturing costs, improve yields, and lower capital costs of new construction for LyondellBasell's global chemicals business. Proprietary technologies supported at the site include propylene oxide, butanediol and derivatives, glycols and glycol ethers, acetyls, olefins and solvents. Manufacturing plants supported by the center include three Houston-area facilities in Channelview, Bayport and La Porte, Texas, as well as Botlek and Maasvlakte, Netherlands, Fos-sur-Mer, France, and a joint venture in Ningbo, China.
The center will employ approximately 80 people, 22 of whom relocated from the company's former facility near Philadelphia, with the balance hired locally. The new facility is adjacent to the company's largest U.S. manufacturing complex in Channelview, east of Houston.
"The Houston Technology Center will support research to improve our current processes and catalysts and provide the capability to develop further technology enhancements in support of LyondellBasell's intermediate and derivatives business," said Massimo Covezzi, senior vice president of Research and Development.
"Having a research center for our intermediates business on the U.S. Gulf Coast in proximity to our manufacturing, commercial and engineering operations creates a critical mass that did not previously exist. We have leading technologies in propylene oxide and acetyls and this action reaffirms our commitment to maintain our industry leadership in these areas," said Patrick Quarles, senior vice president of Intermediates and Derivatives.
LyondellBasell is among the industry leaders in chemicals and polymers technology. The company has more than 5,000 patents and patent applications worldwide covering manufacturing processes, products and catalysts. This year the company is commemorating the 50th anniversary of the Nobel Prize for Chemistry awarded to Karl Ziegler and Giulio Natta in cooperation with LyondellBasell predecessor companies. Their discoveries led to the production of polyethylene and polypropylene and modern plastics that are lighter, stronger and more durable.
Other LyondellBasell R&D centers include Cincinnati, Ohio, which focuses on polyolefin product application and development in North America; Frankfurt, Germany, focused on polyethylene and metallocene catalysts; and Ferrara, Italy, focusing on polypropylene and Ziegler-Natta catalysts.
News Category:
-
Beyond processbook & PI vision: Exploring today’s industrial analytics tools
(Webinar) - In the Manufacturing 4.0 era, industrial organizations have more data at their fingertips than ever, offering the promise of higher production rates, more ...
04-06-2024
-
Sasol provides state of the art catalysts to INERATEC for the production of sustainable e-fuels
The catalysts will be used, among others, in the first large-scale industrial Power-to-Liquid (PtL) plant that INERATEC is currently building in Frankfurt, Germany, which ...
24-04-2024
-
Baker Hughes to supply 17 centrifugal compressors to Saudi Master Gas System project
Baker Hughes, an energy technology company, announced Tuesday that it has received an order by Worley, for and on behalf of Aramco, to supply gas technology equipment ...
23-04-2024
-
SABIC Fujian Petrochemicals select Phenol yechnology from KBR
KBR announced today it has been awarded a contract by SABIC Fujian Petrochemicals to license KBR's market-leading phenol technology in China. Under the terms of the ...
22-04-2024
-
Lummus Expands R&D capabilities to enhance innovation and water and wastewater technologies
Lummus Technology, a global provider of process technologies and value-driven energy solutions, announced the opening of its cutting-edge research and development (R&D) ...
17-04-2024
-
Clariant launches new CATOFIN® 312 propane dehydrogenation catalyst
Clariant, a sustainability-focused specialty chemical company, today announced the launch of CATOFIN 312, its latest propane dehydrogenation catalyst. The new catalyst ...
16-04-2024
-
Yokogawa and GridBeyond conclude investment and strategic partnership agreements
Yokogawa Electric Corporation and energy IT solutions provider GridBeyond of Ireland announce that they have concluded a strategic partnership agreement. Furthermore, ...
16-04-2024
-
Heraeus Precious Metals launches Circlear
Heraeus Precious Metals, a globally leading company in the precious metals industry and one of the largest recyclers of precious metals, has introduced its new offering ...
16-04-2024
-
EMA and JERA to cooperate on LNG procurement and supply chains
The Energy Market Authority and JERA Co Inc, have signed a Memorandum of Understanding to cooperate on mutually beneficial areas in liquefied natural gas procurement ...
16-04-2024
-
Hexagon and Dragos unveil technical partnership to strengthen industrial cybersecurity
Hexagon’s Asset Lifecycle Intelligence division today announced a strategic partnership with Dragos, a global leader in cybersecurity for operational technology (OT). ...
16-04-2024