28-02-2014
Shell Moerdijk clocks 40 years of petrochemical production
The petrochemical complex has nearly tripled its capacity over the yearsto 5.4 million tonnes per year in 2013 and remains a key asset to Shell globally.
Shell today announced that its Moerdijk petrochemical complex has clocked 40 years of production. Centrally located between the major ports of Rotterdam in the Netherlands and Antwerp in Belgium, and strategically positioned alongside deep water, the complex has been expanded over time. Today, its capacity has nearly tripled to 5.4 million tonnes per year, and the site remains one of Shell’s core global petrochemical manufacturing facilities.
Construction at Shell Moerdijk began in 1969. The petrochemical complex started up and shipped its first commercial product in 1973. Since then, Shell has continued to grow the facilities, investing significantly over the years to build several new plants and supporting amenities. The second phase of expansion took place in 1976, and a third in 1996. In 1999, Shell’s 50:50 joint venture with BASF – ELLBA BV – also opened on the site, producing styrene monomer and propylene oxide.
Four decades on, the mega-site manufactures a variety of basic ‘building block’ petrochemical products (base chemicals such as ethylene, propylene and butadiene) and derivatives (intermediate chemicals such as ethylene oxide, ethylene glycols, styrene monomer and propylene oxide). Much of these are sold to industrial customers in Europe and beyond, who use them to manufacture many everyday products, including car components, synthetic fibres, insulation materials, latex paints and anti-freeze.
Graham van’t Hoff, Executive Vice President for Shell Chemicals, said, “After 40 years, Shell Moerdijk remains a high-performing site that continues to deliver value to Shell. Its tight integration with Shell’s Pernis refinery has brought many advantages, including access to competitive feedstocks and efficiencies in infrastructure, operations, logistics and shared manufacturing expertise. Shell expects to continue investing in this key petrochemical asset.”
The plants at Shell Moerdijk, all of which are ISO 9001-2000 and/or 14001 certified, cover 250 hectares of land. The site still has an additional 70 hectares of land – equivalent to over 100 football fields – to accommodate potential
growth.
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
-
Worley awarded Bayou Bend CCS carbon capture and storage facility contract
We’ve been selected to design and evaluate CO2 gathering, handling and sequestration facilities located along the Gulf Coast in Southeast Texas. Bayou Bend ...
13-05-2024
-
Black & Veatch delivers feasibility study for Andes Energy LNG Terminal
Global liquefied natural gas (LNG) infrastructure solutions leader Black & Veatch has completed a feasibility study for the planned Andes Energy Terminal, LNG regasification ...
09-05-2024
-
Shell to sell interest in Singapore Energy and Chemicals Park to CAPGC
Shell Singapore Pte Ltd, a subsidiary of Shell plc, has reached an agreement to sell its Energy and Chemicals Park in Singapore to CAPGC Pte. Ltd., a joint venture company ...
08-05-2024
-
Integrated Global Services recognized for role in mega turnaround
Integrated Global Services has been recognized as a major contributor to the successful Ras Tanura Refinery 2024 Mega Turnaround and Inspection for Saudi Arabian Energy ...
08-05-2024
-
BASF invests in capacity expansion of Basoflux® range of paraffin inhibitors
BASF plans to expand the global production capacity of its Basoflux® range of paraffin inhibitors at its site in Tarragona, Spain. This investment will enable BASF’s ...
07-05-2024
-
Ebara Elliott Energy to provide compressor for SAF project in Thailand
Ebara Elliott Energy, formerly Elliott Group, announces it has been contracted to provide a motor-driven recycle compressor with a variable frequency drive (VFD) for ...
07-05-2024
-
ETH Zurich select hte to provide high throughput test system designed for CO2 electroreduction
hte – the high throughput experimentation company was awarded a contract by the technical university ETH Zurich to provide a high throughput test system designed for ...
07-05-2024
-
TotalEnergies and Sinopec strengthen cooperation
On the occasion of the state visit to France by the President of the People's Republic of China, TotalEnergies, represented by Patrick Pouyanné, Chairman and CEO, and ...
07-05-2024
-
IPP enters agreement to market ammonia, methanol and melamine plants in Ludwigshafen
BASF and International Process Plants (IPP), a global leader in the acquisition and sale of process plants and equipment, have entered an agreement to market ammonia, ...
06-05-2024