April 23, 2018
Chemical Week
Formosa Petrochemical to proceed with $9.4-billion Louisiana cracker project
Formosa Petrochemical Corp. (FPCC; Taipei, Taiwan) has purchased a 2,400-acre site at St. James Parish, Louisiana, to build a $9.4-billion petrochemical complex that will include two ethane crackers. Depending on the permitting process, construction of the so-called “Sunshine Project” could begin as soon as 2019, says the company.
FPCC, a member of the Formosa Plastics Group (FPG), plans to build the complex in two phases over 10 years. During the first phase, the company will build a 1.2 million metric tons/year (MMt/y) ethylene plant and downstream facilities for the production of polyethylene (PE) and ethylene glycol (EG), as well and propylene and polypropylene (PP). The second phase will include an addtional ethyene plant, as well as PE and EG plants.
FPCC, which announced the project in late 2015, has formed a subsidiary, FG LA LLC, to operate the complex.
Another FPG company, Formosa Plastics Corp. USA, is currently building a 1.25 MMt/y plant at Point Comfort, Texas, that is slated to begin operation in 2019. The Point Comfort project also includes a propane dehydrogenation (PDH) unit, a low-density PE resin plant, and additional high-density PE and PP lines at the site.