Sasol Ethane Cracker and Derivatives Project

As part of Sasol's plans to strengthen its position in a growing global chemicals market, the company is developing a world-scale ethane cracker and derivatives complex that will roughly triple its chemical production capacity in the United States.

The new complex, located adjacent to Sasol's existing facility in Southwest Louisiana, encompasses a 1.5 million tons-per-year ethane cracker, six downstream derivatives units and associated utilities, offsites and infrastructure work.

Fluor provided front-end engineering and design and, in a joint venture with TechnipFMC, served as the primary engineering, procurement and construction management contractor. In March 2019, Fluor announced that the joint venture successfully completed its engineering, procurement and construction management scope of work at the complex.

Client's Challenge

The U.S. Gulf Coast region is experiencing substantial growth, and this project is one of the area's largest announced investments. Sasol, one of Fluor's strategic clients in South Africa since 1960, selected Fluor to support its development plans in the United States.

The ethane cracker and derivatives project will use the ethylene produced by the cracker to manufacture high-value chemicals used in everyday consumer products.

Fluor's Solution

More than 6,000 staff and craft were on site at peak construction, drawing on Fluor's extensive U.S. Gulf Coast and petrochemical project experience. The Fluor joint venture integrated a team of 30 main construction contractors and worked in collaboration with Sasol to strengthen the local economy, with more than $4 billion committed to Louisiana businesses.

The project team strengthened and widened more than two miles of roadway in the community to support the completion of more than 500 heavy haul transports to the project site.

The Sasol Ethane Cracker and Derivatives Project was named Top Petrochemical Project of 2015 by Hydrocarbon Processing magazine.

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Conclusion

The project achieved first steam in August 2018. Utilities to support the early process units were fully operational by the end of November 2018, and the linear low-density polyethylene unit achieved beneficial operations in February 2019.

The Fluor and TechnipFMC joint venture completed its engineering, procurement and construction management scope in March 2019. The joint venture will continue to provide assistance to the Sasol team with remaining activities by working in parallel on transition plans for each unit and system, as well as assisting in performance testing for the complex.