Borealis invests in Finland cracker upgrade
Borealis, a provider of innovative solutions in the fields of polyolefins, base chemicals and fertilizers, will invest $45 MM (€40 MM) to upgrade its steam cracker in Porvoo, Finland. The upgrade will enhance the cracker's energy efficiency, yield higher production capacities for propylene and crude C4, and enable an overall higher production quality of propylene.
In Porvoo, Finland, Borealis operates one of the most flexible, fully-integrated crackers in Europe. The projectis scheduled for completion in 3Q 2017. The production capacity of propylene and crude C4 will increase by 30 kilotonnes/yr and 10 kilotonnes/yr, respectively. The project will also upgrade the quality of all produced propylene to polymer grade, thereby increasing value as well as productivity in the adjacent polypropylene production plant.
"Investing in upgrades and capacity expansion at strategic Borealis production locations such as Porvoo enables us to improve the competitiveness of our strong, integrated polyolefins business in Europe," explained Markku Korvenranta, Borealis executive VP, base chemicals.
Flexible, integrated steam crackers and their associated production units form the backbone of the Borealis olefins and polyolefins portfolio in Europe. Borealis sources basic feedstocks, such as naphtha, butane, propane and ethane, from the oil and gas industry and converts these into ethylene, propylene and other high value hydrocarbons. It also produces propylene in a propane dehydrogenation plant in Kallo, Belgium.
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