The Daesan integrated refining and petrochemicals complex in South Korea, owned by Hanwha Total Petrochemical, has started its new ethylene production capacities. Hanwha Total Petrochemical is a 50-50 joint venture between Total and Hanwha. With a USD450 million investment, the site can now produce 1.4 million tons per year of ethylene, an increase of 30%.

This project was launched in April 2017 and is the first in a series of three at the complex. More than USD300 million are being invested to expand polyethylene production capacity by 50% to 1.1 million tons per year by the end of 2019, and nearly USD500 million are being invested to increase polypropylene production capacity by close to 60% to 1.1 million tons per year by 2021.

The three projects take advantage of abundant, cost-advantaged propane feedstock from the shale gas revolution in the United States. With these investments, the Daesan facility will be in a position to capture margins across the ethylene-polyethylene and propylene-polypropylene value chains. The additional production capacity will help meet rapidly growing Asian demand.

“These investments and today’s successful start-up of the first project reflect our strategy of meeting growing global demand for petrochemicals by channeling our investments into our world-class complexes and leveraging cost-advantaged feedstock,” said Bernard Pinatel, president, Refining & Chemicals, Total.