INEOS Oligomers has announced that it has started up its new 120,000 tonne per annum Low Viscosity Polyalphaolefin (LV PAO) unit at Chocolate Bayou, TX, said the company.
This facility is the world’s largest single PAO train and complements existing units in La Porte, TX and Feluy, Belgium.
It positions INEOS Oligomers as the world’s largest merchant supplier of LV PAO with an unprecedented production footprint in LV PAO. Facilities operated across 3 distinct locations, provide stronger security of supply to the global lubricants industry.
The new Chocolate Bayou LV PAO unit is fully integrated into INEOS’ production of Linear Alpha Olefin (LAO), the raw material used for PAO. Its feedstocks are also supplied from the adjacent LAO plant that started up in 2020 and from its Joffre, Canada LAO unit.
Peter Steylaerts, Business Director INEOS Oligomers said “Our new LV PAO unit comes at the right time to fulfil increasing needs from the lubricant industry for low viscosity low volatility engine oils, electrical transmission fluids and heat transfer fluids for data servers and electrical batteries. It also brings state of the art technology allowing a step change in efficiency of production."
LV PAOs are used in various lubricants such as engine oils, gear oils, transmission fluids, hydraulic fluids and greases. They offer excellent thermal and oxidative stability, better flow properties and better energy efficiency leading to reduced fuel consumption, reduced emissions, less frequent oil changes and improved reliability of machineries. They are also used in other applications such as processing aids, polymer modification and cosmetics.
As per MRC, INEOS Olefins Belgium is the first industrial player to sign an agreement with Fluxys to participate in the feasibility study for the development of an open access hydrogen network in the port of Antwerp, said the company.
The cooperation follows the market consultation initiated by Fluxys last year to match supply and demand for hydrogen in the Belgian industrial clusters. The European Commission considers hydrogen essential for becoming carbon-neutral. When hydrogen is used as a fuel, it is carbon-free and essentially only water vapour is emitted. It is also an important raw material for the chemical industry.
NEOS Styrolution is the leading global styrenics supplier, with a focus on styrene monomer, polystyrene, ABS Standard and styrenic specialties. With world-class production facilities and more than 90 years of experience, INEOS Styrolution helps its customers succeed by offering solutions, designed to give them a competitive edge in their markets. At the same time, these innovative and sustainable best-in-class solutions help make the circular economy for styrenics a reality. The company provides styrenic applications for many everyday products across a broad range of industries, including automotive, electronics, household, construction, healthcare, packaging and toys/sports/leisure. In 2020, sales were at 4 billion euros. INEOS Styrolution employs approximately 3,600 people and operates 20 production sites in ten countries.
mrchub.com