Chevron Phillips expanding Texas polyalphaolefins plant

Chevron Phillips says construction will begin in April with start up expected by mid-2017, supporting up to 135 jobs

Chevron Phillips Chemical groundbreaking ceremony for construction in Old Ocean, Texas

THE WOODLANDS, Texas – Chevron Phillips Chemical Company LP announced today that it has reached final investment decision to expand the low viscosity polyalphaolefins (PAO) capacity at its Cedar Bayou plant in Baytown, Texas by 10,000 metric tons per year or about 20 per cent.

The PAOs are marketed under the brand name Synfluid^® PAO, which are used for a variety of automotive and industrial applications including engine oils, gear oils and greases.

Chevron Phillips said in a press release that the expansion will allow it to meet increasing demand for high-performance lubricants in automotive and industrial applications, as demand for higher energy efficiency and high-quality basestocks continues to grow.

“This additional capacity enables us to expand with our customer base to meet the future requirements of the industry,” said Miles Oberton, global PAO business manager for Chevron Phillips Chemical.

The project also improves process safety and overall unit efficiencies while reducing waste generation for the Cedar Bayou’s PAO unit.

Feedstocks for this project will be provided through Chevron Phillips Chemical’s recent 100,000 metric tons per year expansion of normal alpha olefins (NAO) capacity at its Cedar Bayou plant.

Construction will begin in April 2016 with completion and startup expected by mid-2017. The expansion will support up to 135 construction and engineering jobs.