Linde Strengthens Petrochemical Hub In The U.S.

Munich, The technology company The Linde Group will invest more than USD 200 million to build a large, state-of-the-art air separation unit (ASU), a new gasification train and supporting equipment and facilities in La Porte, Texas. The new plants are scheduled to come on-stream in the course of 2015.

“Linde is the leading syngas supplier in this region,” said Tom Blades, Member of the Executive Board of Linde AG and responsible for the company’s business in the Americas. “This expansion project will allow us to support our customers at the La Porte petrochemical hub even more effectively. This is important in view of the shale gas which is providing huge growth momentum in this sector.”

The ASU will be the largest operated by Linde in the U.S. and the addition of a new gasification plant will create the world’s largest natural gas based partial oxidation complex for the production of syngas products for petrochemicals. With the new plants, Linde will have a fully integrated presence in the Houston area that covers air gases and synthesis gas products production and supply to its customers.

The air gases (oxygen and nitrogen) produced by the new ASU will supply the gasification assets at the La Porte site. The new gasifier will convert natural gas into syngas and constituent products such as carbon monoxide, hydrogen and carbon dioxide which are used to produce methanol, downstream chemicals and cleaner transportation fuels. In this way Linde will supply syngas products including pipeline delivery to a key customer. Linde also owns and operates three additional large, partial oxidation facilities that manufacture syngas products using Linde’s world-leading syngas processing technologies and know-how.