Eastman Chemical Completes Its $200-Million Oxo Chemicals Plant In Singapore
Eastman Chemical Singapore's oxo chemicals manufacturing complex on Pulau Sakra is mechanically complete ahead of schedule. One of the five plants is fully commissioned, with the rest to come onstream during the first half of this year, according to the company. The complex consists of a 150,000-m.t./yr oxo aldehydes plant; worldscale plants for 2-ethylhexanol and n-butanol; and plants to produce NPG glycol, Texanol ester-alcohol and TXIB plasticizer.
Products from Eastman's largest manufacturing facility in Asia Pacific will be sold to industrial customers to produce coatings, paints, inks, varnishes, and lacquers; vinyl and cellulosic plastic products; food products; drugs and pharmaceuticals; food and beverage containers; cosmetics and perfumes; automotive fluids; and herbicides and pesticides.
The Texanol and TXIB plant was the first to be completed and commissioned. Texanol ester-alcohol is the world's leading coalescing aid for latex emulsion paints and also provides water-based paints with protection against common causes of failure such as high humidity and low temperatures. TXIB is a proprietary primary plasticizer used in manufacturing vinyl toys, sheet flooring, wallpaper and gloves.
Prior to completion of the complex, Eastman Chemical Singapore was using storage tanks at terminal facilities on Pulau Sakra to supply its Asian customers with products from Eastman's oxo facility expansion in Longview, TX. "Despite Asia's economic problems, we are confident there will be good demand for these products as the region regains its economic strength," said David McMillan, regional manager and ventures manager for Eastman's Industrial Intermediates business. The timely completion of the complex helps ensure capital costs will be within budget, McMillan said. The commissioning sequence of the remaining four plants will coincide with startup of the outsourced synthesis gas unit on Pulau Sakra.
"The mechanical completion of the oxo chemicals complex is a major accomplishment for Eastman as we have successfully transferred proprietary technologies to a new site halfway around the world," McMillan said. "The general contractor, JGC Corp., and Eastman's engineering, construction and operations teams deserve a lot of credit for meeting an aggressive schedule. They also combined to set several safety records."
On mechanical completion, a plant is functionally checked out through water and organic testing followed by startup of production. A plant is considered fully commissioned when it reaches design rates and is producing what is known as Class 1 product. It usually takes 70 days for a plant to be fully commissioned after mechanical completion. The Texanol/TXIB plant was fully commissioned in 50 days, well ahead of the industry standard.