Braskem mulls ethylene and PE plant in Bolivia

15-Jun-12

Latin America’s largets petrochemical maker -Braskem SA has is mulling construction of an ethylene and polyethylene plant in Bolivia, according to state-oil producer Yacimientos Petrolíferos Fiscales Bolivianos. “We understand YPFB has a project to develop ethylene and polyethylene, which interests us,” Braskem Project Director Javier Quipusco Escobedo said. YPFB said it wants to form a partnership with a foreign company to finance the planned petrochemical complex, which will produce 600,000 metric tpa of polyethylene. Nine companies including KBR Inc. of the U.S., Germany’s Linde AG (LIN) and Italy’s Saipem SpA (SPM) must submit engineering proposals by July 23 for the plant called Gran Chaco.