LyondellBasell contracts Fluor for FEED on new Texas chemicals unit

Fluor Corp. announced today that LyondellBasell has selected Fluor to perform front-end engineering and design (FEED) work for its proposed propylene oxide (PO) and tertiary butyl alcohol plant. 

Fluor said it booked the undisclosed contract value in the fourth quarter of 2015.

The plant will be the world’s largest of its type and will be located at LyondellBasell’s existing Channelview and Bayport Choate complexes in Texas, according to project officials.

The scope includes a 1-billion lb/year propylene oxide and a 2-billion lb/year tertiary butyl alcohol plant at the Channelview site, an ethers plant at the Bayport Choate site, as well as associated infrastructure. 

The products will be used in the production of polyols, high-octane gasoline components and other isobutylene derivatives.

“Fluor is bringing its proven integrated engineering, procurement, fabrication and construction solutions approach to support this world-scale project’s advancement,” said Jim Brittain, president of Fluor’s energy and chemicals business line in the Americas. 

“We will leverage our extensive US Gulf Coast chemicals experience and innovative global procurement and design approaches to develop a capital efficient solution for LyondellBasell," he added.

Front-end design activities are expected to be completed in 2016.