Shell starts up 2 new Singapore chemical projects on Jurong Island

SHELL Singapore on Wednesday announced that it has more than doubled the production of high-purity ethylene oxide (HPEO) and ethoxylates at its site on Jurong Island.

The company has successfully started up two projects: a new 140,000 tonnes per annum (tpa) high-purity ethylene oxide purification unit, and a new 140,000 tpa ethoxylates unit.

Shell delivers HPEO through an ethylene oxide pipeline grid to "over-the-fence" customers and its own expanded ethoxylation operations on Jurong Island.

Feedstock for the new HPEO plant comes from Shell's ethylene oxide/mono-ethylene glycol plant, which is integrated with the company's ethylene cracker through to its largest fully-owned refinery on Pulau Bukom.

"The demand for HPEO and alcohol ethoxylates in Asia has been rising over the years. These two projects are part of Shell's strategy to serve the growing needs of existing and new customers locally and in the region," said Graham van't Hoff, executive vice-president for Shell Chemicals.

More than six million man-hours went into both projects, which were completed over two years without disruption to existing operations, Shell said.

Yeoh Keat Chuan, managing director of the Singapore Economic Development Board, said in a statement: "We are pleased to have companies such as Shell partnering us in the development of the energy and chemicals cluster in Singapore. These new facilities have brought about new investments in the manufacturing of specialty chemicals on Jurong Island, which creates good jobs for Singaporeans."

Shell said its investments in Jurong Island have helped to attract millions of dollars of foreign investments from specialty chemicals players, supporting Singapore's move into this growing niche sector.