The Q-Chem joint venture of Qatar’s Mesaieed Petrochemical Holding Co (MPHC, 49%), US JV Chevron Phillips (49%) and Qatar Petroleum (QP, 2%) plans to increase its ethylene capacity by 7% by 2022 at an estimated cost of QR 391mn ($107mn). MPHC officials told the Q-Chem annual general assembly on 11 March that the investment would be part of a QR500mn ($137mn) five-year investment program, according to a 12 March Gulf Times report.
MPHC says the expansion will involve the addition of a sixth furnace at Q-Chem’s Mesaieed complex. Q-Chem owns a 500,000 t/y ethylene plant at Mesaieed and is operator and 53.1% shareholder in a 1.3mn t/y cracker at Ras Laffan, which delivers ethylene to Mesaieed by pipeline. Although MPHC has not specified the capacity of the new furnace, 7% of its gross ethylene production capacity would be around 125,000 t/y. (CONTINUED - 136 WORDS)