LyondellBasell (NYSE: LYB), the world’s largest licensor of polyolefin technologies, announced that China Coal Shaanxi Yulin Energy & Chemical Co., Ltd. (China Coal Shaanxi), will use the LyondellBasell Spherizone, Hostalen Advanced Cascade Process (Hostalen ACP) and Lupotech T technology for its new facility.
The process technology will be used for a 300 kilotons per annum (KTA) Spherizone polypropylene plant, a 300 KTA Hostalen ACP high-density polyethylene plant and a 250 KTA Lupotech T vinyl acetate copolymer plant, to be built in Yulin City, Shaanxi Province, P.R. China.
“This licensing agreement underlines the need to license outperforming and differentiated technology in an increasingly competitive producer landscape,” said Patrik Schneider, Director of Licensing at LyondellBasell. Schneider added: “The technology selection of China Coal Shaanxi supports their ambitious growth targets for both expanding production and for delivering differentiated resins to the polyolefin market in China and beyond”.
Mr. Zhou Yongtao, Vice General Manager and Chief Project Director of China Coal Shaanxi said, “Being able to obtain a license and related know how and decades of operating experience is a great asset for us as this accelerates learning and decreases complexity. Specifically the differentiated polypropylene grades from the Spherizone process as well as the durable infrastructure resins from Hostalen ACP and Lupotech T are key for our portfolio development”.
The Spherizone multi-zone circulating reactor (MZCR) provides a unique and innovative platform to manufacture polypropylene products with novel architecture and enhanced product properties. Almost 10 million tons of the Spherizone process for differentiated polypropylene production capacity has been licensed by LyondellBasell around the world. The plant will commence operations using Avant ZN catalyst.
The Hostalen ACP process technology manufactures high performance, multi-modal HDPE resins with an industry-leading stiffness/toughness balance, impact resistance, high stress cracking resistance and process advantages used in pressure pipe, film and blow molding applications. The Hostalen ACP plant will commence operations using Avant Z501 and Avant Z509-1 catalysts to produce a full range of multi-modal HDPE products.
Decades of experience in high-pressure application design makes the Lupotech T process the preferred technology for LDPE/EVA plant operators. High conversion rates, demonstrated high plant availability and effective process heat integration are key attributes of the Lupotech T process, designed to ensure this technology’s energy efficiency. More than 15 million KTA of the Lupotech T process for LDPE/EVA production capacity has been licensed by LyondellBasell in over 70 lines around the world.
New licensees have the option of joining the LyondellBasell Technical Service Program. Through this program, they can benefit from LyondellBasell’s in-house expertise of continuous production improvement, sustainable product development and catalyst.
In addition to the Spherizone, Hostalen ACP and Lupotech T process technology, LyondellBasell’s portfolio of licensed polyolefin process and catalysts includes:
- Spheripol – The leading polypropylene (PP) process technology with more than 33 million tons of licensed capacity. With globally recognized quality grades featuring leading monomer yield and investment costs to make it the technology of choice
- Avant – Advanced Ziegler-Natta, including non-phthalate, chromium and metallocene catalysts for the entire range of polyolefin production.