Celanese German Acrylates Project

Fluor performed engineering, procurement and construction management (EPCM) for the Celanese German Acrylates Project. The new greenfield facility in Boehlen, Germany included a 80,000 metric-tons-per-year (MTPY) crude acrylic acid unit, 60,000 MTPY butyl acrylate unit and 58,000 MTPY glacial acrylic acid unit, as well as a new tank farm and rail/truck loading/unloading stations and infrastructure.

Client's Challenge

One of the most challenging aspects of the project was that the site location was once part of East Germany. This required extensive research on engineering information since it was not readily available from the authorities.

To help address the design, build and operational regulations and environmental issues, the project was augmented with work-sharing partners: Celanese (formerly Hoechst Celanese), Hoechst, BSL (a partnership of the German Government and DOW Chemical) and multiple Fluor office resources.

Fluor's Solution

Fluor and Celanese established a working alliance in 1990 and have jointly executed projects in Clear Lake, Bay City, Bishop and Pampa, Texas, as well as Singapore. The project is a copy of the existing processes at Celanese's Clear Lake, Texas plant.

The German Acrylates project team consists of a geographically diverse workforce from Fluor's offices in Houston, Mexico, Venezuela, the Netherlands, the Philippines and German-based Dusseldorf and Leipzig. The project team was able to generate a savings of over $750,000 in a value awareness program.

Conclusion

The construction phase started in April 1998, with mechanical completion reached in September 1999. The Boehlen plant was fully operational in December 1999.