17 November 2014
ABOUT PTA
PTA is the raw material used to make polyester
which is found in a wide range of consumer goods
ranging from fabrics to food and beverage containers.
DETAILS
BP announced today that it plans
to invest over $200 million to upgrade its
purified terephthalic acid (PTA) plants at
* Cooper River, South Carolina and
* Geel, Belgium
The BP Cooper River site is
the largest PTA producer in the Americas and
BP Geel is the largest in Europe.
Cooper River's PTA1 unit, one of two units at the facility,
is expected to be upgraded by mid 2016. The project expects
to create around 200 construction jobs at its peak and
indirectly support many more jobs in the region.
When the project is completed, the reduction in
annual greenhouse gas reductions should equate to
eliminating the electricity and heating emissions of
about 2,000 typical U.S. households.
The Geel upgrade is expected to create
around 100 construction jobs at its peak and
will also indirectly benefit other businesses in the area.
Geel's PTA3 unit is expected to be upgraded
by the end of 2015 with PTA2 following in 2016.
The annual greenhouse gas reductions should equate to
eliminating the electricity and heating emissions of
1,500 typical Belgium households.
By applying the latest PTA technology to
these world-scale production facilities, BP expects to greatly
improve feedstock and energy efficiency
thus reducing both variable and fixed cost and
greenhouse gas emissions.
Key notes
BP is one of the largest producers of PTA globally with
annual production capacity of 7.1 million tonnes
(net to BP) annually from seven locations.
BP's leading PTA technology is available
for third party licences. Two third party, non-affiliate,
licenses have been sold to date.
BP Geel has production capacity of around
1.3 million tonnes per year of PTA.
BP Geel employs about 380 staff members and
an average of 150 partners
(contractors and permanent subcontractors).
BP's Cooper River facility
occupies 500 acres of a 6,000-acre forest and wetlands site
and produces nearly 1.3 million metric tonnes of PTA a year.
BP directly employs more than 200 people in
South Carolina and supports in excess of 1,100 contractor jobs
in the state.
BP spends more than $300 million
with South Carolina companies every year.
WWW.CHEMWINFO.COM BY KHUN PHICHAI
