Chevron Phillips Chemical has started up what it says is the world's largest on-purpose 1-hexene plant. The new unit at the petrochemical producer's Cedar Bayou complex in Baytown, Texas, has capacity for 250,000 t/y. The company said the facility will meet worldwide demand for 1-hexene comonomers.

The new plant is the third to use Chevron Phillips Chemical's proprietary selective on-purpose 1-hexene technology, which produces comonomer grade 1-hexene from ethylene with exceptional product purity.

The process already is being used at Qatar Chemical Company's (Q-Chem) facility in Mesaieed, Qatar, and at the Saudi Polymers Company plant in Al Jubail, Saudi Arabia. Both are joint ventures of wholly-owned subsidiaries of Chevron Phillips with local partners.

"Our investment to expand 1-hexene production is due in part to Texas' growth as a major international hub for the petrochemical industry and the increased supply of competitive feedstocks in the US from the development of shale resources," said Pete Cella, CEO of Chevron Phillips Chemical.

"Only five years ago, he said, "the expectation was that the US would become a significant net importer of ethylene derivatives. Now the US is expecting to become a major exporter of ethylene derivatives, including 1-hexene, able to compete with any producing region in the world."