08-03-2024

Ketjen’s new ZSM-5 investment will support its FCC customers into the future

Across the globe, regulations to decrease fossil fuel use and greenhouse emissions through efficiency standards, emissions targets, carbon taxes and cap-and-trade continue to challenge refiners and their future operations and profitability.

The selection of the right catalyst and catalyst partner can help refiners manage these risks by helping optimize current performance and by enabling them to pivot to higher value products in the future like light olefins and propylene.

To support its FCC customers, Ketjen is expanding its Bayport site to produce additional ZSM-5, which can be used to generate propylene for petrochemical applications or butylene to help refiners increase octane-barrels from the FCC unit and the adjacent alkylation and MTBE units. Once complete in 2025, Ketjen’s Bayport, Texas site will produce additional high quality FCC catalyst and additives, ensuring consistency and reliability of supply, and, in turn, will enable customers to implement a change in strategy and meet the future needs of the market.

As Ketjen embarks on a new chapter, it is more committed than ever to developing the right products, technologies, and insights to help its customers maximize their assets and achieve their short- and long-term success. From renewables processing, and butylene maximization to propylene maximization, CO2 reduction, HVO processing, and pyrolysis oil processing, our teams continue to develop Fluid Catalytic (FCC) and Clean Fuels Technology (CFT) products and solutions that maximize current production and provide options to customers who are looking to transition or pivot to renewable feedstocks and product slates.

Formerly known as Albemarle’s catalyst business, Ketjen is now a wholly owned subsidiary of Albemarle, solely focused on developing the right solutions for its customers in the refining and petrochemicals markets.