Successful start-up of Shell’s new world-scale MEG unit in Singapore

18-Nov-09

Shell Chemicals Ltd has successfully started up its new world-scale monoethylene glycol (MEG) unit at the Shell Eastern Petrochemicals Complex in Singapore. The plant, with a nameplate capacity of 750,000 tpa, has started up as initially planned. It also includes a new 800,000 tpa ethylene cracker, a butadiene plant and modifications to Shell’s Bukom refinery, which are planned to start up in early 2010. It is one of the largest in the world, reinforcing Shell’s ambitions to maintain a leading position in the expanding Asian petrochemicals market. The Singapore MEG plant marks another technology first for Shell. It is the first time Shell is using its award-winning OMEGA processing technology. The OMEGA process gives the highest commercial yields of MEG from ethylene. The new plant is on Jurong Island, Singapore - an ideal location to serve Asian customers from within the region. Asia currently accounts for around 70% of global MEG consumption and much of the new capacity will be destined for China where the demand for MEG continues to grow.