INEOS Phenol Signs Contract for Antwerp Plant Expansion with Jacobs

INEOS Phenol has signed an EPCm contract with Jacobs België N.V., a subsidiary of Jacobs Engineering Group Inc. for the expansion of its phenol and acetone plant in the port of Antwerp. Phenol capacity will be raised from 470 kt/a to 680 kt/a.

INEOS Phenol is using proprietary improvements to its cumene based phenol and acetone process. Rather than adding a third line to its existing plant, this substantial capacity increase will be accomplished as an expansion to one of the existing two lines. During construction, production will continue at maximum rates. As contracted, mechanical completion of the alterations to one of the lines is scheduled for June 2006 with the tie-in of the new equipment during a partial shut-down at that time.

While the Antwerp site will become the largest phenol and acetone plant in the world after this expansion, the Gladbeck, Germany facility still remains the largest single train facility with a current capacity of 650 kt/a phenol.