Indorama Ventures Louisiana ethane cracker refurbishment ahead of schedule
Indorama Ventures’ majority-owned Lake Charles, Louisiana gas cracker received an air permit from US authorities, signifying an important step forward in maintaining the plant’s startup schedule. The air permit, which is the main environmental permit required by the company to proceed with the refurbishment of the cracker, allows the project to commence repair and construction activities a month ahead of the original target date.
Ethylene from the cracker will feed the production of MEG (monoethylene glycol), which is used to make PET (polyethylene terephthalate). When complete, Indorama Ventures will become one of the most vertically integrated PET producers in North America.
The project received a water permit in June that allows the facility to discharge liquid effluent through its waste-water treatment plant. The project has also completed de-bottlenecking-related engineering and has ordered all its major long-lead-time equipment. Mechanical completion is expected in the third quarter of 2017 on schedule, followed by commissioning and startup in the fourth quarter of 2017.
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