Honeywell announced that Ceyhan Polipropilen Uretim A.Ş. will use Honeywell UOP’s C3 Oleflex™ technology to produce 457,000 metric tons per year of polymer-grade propylene for a new petrochemicals complex in Ceyhan, Turkey. Ceyhan Polipropilen Uretim is a joint venture of Ronesans Holding and the Algerian national energy company Sonatrach S.p.A. The new unit will be used to supply propylene for the production of polypropylene, which is used to make a wide variety of plastic products that are growing in demand globally.
Honeywell UOP will provide technology licensing and customized basic engineering design, services, equipment, catalysts and adsorbents for the plant. When completed, this will be the first propane dehydrogenation (PDH) unit to operate in Turkey.
The new unit will enable Ceyhan Polipropilen to manufacture polypropylene domestically, reducing Turkey’s dependence on imports from manufacturers in the Middle East and Western Europe. Turkey accounts for half the total demand for polypropylene in the region. Demand for polypropylene in Turkey is expected to grow at about 2.5% annually over the next decade.
UOP’s C3 Oleflex technology converts propane to propylene through catalytic dehydrogenation. The technology is designed to have a lower cash cost of production and a higher return on investment when compared to competing for dehydrogenation technologies. Its low energy consumption, low emissions, minimal water usage, and fully recyclable, platinum-alumina-based catalyst system help minimize its impact on the environment. The independent reactor and regeneration design of the Oleflex technology helps maintain stable operations with high onstream reliability.
Oleflex technology has been selected for a majority of dehydrogenation projects globally since 2011, including applications for propane, isobutane (iC4) and mixed propane and isobutane feeds.
