Baytown Olefins Plant Ethylene Debottlenecking

Historic Project: Groundbreaking Work From Earlier in Fluor’s History

Client: Exxon Chemical Company

Location: Baytown, TX, U.S.

Industry: Fuels

Map showing the location of Baytown Olefins Plant Ethylene Debottlenecking

Executive Summary

Fluor was contracted by Exxon to provide engineering, procurement and construction services for the Exxon Baytown Olefins Plant ethylene debottlenecking project. The Baytown plant required extensive modifications to the ethylene production facilities and numerous turnaround maintenance activities.

The debottlenecking modifications increased ethylene production by 600 million pounds per year to 2.1 billion pounds per year.

Client's Challenge

The project included design and installation for 65 new and 115 modified pieces of equipment. The debottleneck scope also included modifications to the steam cracker naphtha unit and refinery gas recovery. Other modifications included replacement and/or rerating four compressors, retraying three towers and adding several pieces of equipment and associated modifications to piping, instruments and electrical.

The process technology for this project was of Kellogg design with Exxon's own design used for the fired heaters.

Fluor's Solution

Our work on the turnaround, which was the largest of its kind in scope and work hours for the complex, included maintenance on eight towers, 82 exchangers, 50 drums and work on miscellaneous instruments, electrical and machinery.

Exxon required Fluor to meet a 63-day turnaround schedule. Due to calculated planning, we completed the one-million-work-hour turnaround six days ahead of schedule during a 56-day mechanical completion window. The project peaked at 3,600 personnel.