FLORENCE, ITALY - June 6, 2006 :- Brazilian petrochemical firm Petroquímica União S. A. (PQU) has selected GE steam turbine-driven compressor trains for the expansion of an ethylene production plant in São Paulo state, Brazil.
PQU, located in the city of Santo André, is the first basic petrochemical producer in Brazil. It currently produces 500,000 tons per year of ethylene. When the expansion is completed in April of 2008, the output will increase to 700,000 tons per year.
Under the contract with PQU, GE's Oil & Gas business will supply six centrifugal compressors and five reaction technology industrial steam turbines, along with installation supervision, training, spare parts and spare rotors.
One compression train will include two BCL356 centrifugal compressors driven by a single steam turbine. The remaining four trains will utilize DMCL804, BCL306, 3MCL806 and 3BCL508 compressors, each driven by a GE steam turbine. The project is the first in Brazil to use steam turbines for petrochemical applications from GE Oil & Gas. The equipment will be manufactured at GE Oil & Gas facilities.
Based in Santo André (in São Paulo state, Brazil), PQU is a company dating back to the 1970s. The new plant expansion will help PQU meet the continuing demand for ethylene, which is required as a feedstock for a wide range of derivative chemicals produced in the southeast region of Brazil.
About GE's Oil & Gas business
GE's Oil & Gas business is a world leader in advanced technology turbomachinery products and services, with engineering and manufacturing centers of excellence throughout Europe and the United States. Based in Florence, Italy, the company offers complete solutions for production, LNG, transportation, storage, refineries, petrochemicals and distribution systems, as well as pipeline integrity solutions including analysis and pipeline asset management.
For more information, contact:
Howard Masto
Masto Public Relations
[email protected]
1-518-786-6488
Ken Darling
Masto Public Relations
[email protected]
1-518-786-6488