Total to inject EUR1 bn in Antwerp refining and petrochemical facility
Total has given the go-ahead for a 1 billion euro modernisation project for its Antwerp production complex, the group’s largest refining and petrochemical platform in Europe. This decision forms part of the Total group's strategy to concentrate its investments on its large integrated platforms, in order to give it the strongest competitive position within the industry, the company's news release said.
“The approval of this investment is a significant milestone for further development of the Antwerp facilities, to make them one of the most profitable platforms for Total's refining and chemical activities," says Patrick Pouyanné, general manager of Total Raffinage & Chemie. “With this investment Total demonstrates not only its determination to consolidate its position as one of the leading market players within Europe, but also its ability to adapt to market trends, for instance by reducing its production capacity whenever necessary and concentrating more on products with higher added value which also meet the strictest environmental standards."
According to Total, two large investment projects will commence in the near future. The first is the new refinery complex destined mainly for converting heavy fuel oil to desulphurised diesel and domestic heating oil with ultra-low sulphur content. In this way Total seeks to respond to the shift in demand towards products with a lower environmental impact. This new installation is due to enter production by the beginning of 2016. The other project is a new installation for converting waste refinery gases with lower added value into cheap petrochemical feedstock to replace more expensive naphtha derived from oil. The high degree of integration between the petrochemical and refinery parts of the platform will boost the competitiveness of the petrochemical activities. This other new plant is due to enter production by the beginning of 2017.
As part of this modernisation project, two existing production facilities will be closed down as they are no longer competitive in the current economic situation. The smallest and oldest steam cracker, which is no longer used due to lack of sales opportunities, will be finally shut down and dismantled. The smallest and oldest production line for polyethylene for its part will be closed at the end of 2014, once the investments in other polyethylene lines for producing new polymers have been completed. The size of the workforce at the Antwerp platform will remain unchanged, at 1,700 people.
The port of Antwerp is the largest integrated chemical cluster in Europe, thanks to its multifunctional character combining maritime, industrial and logistics activities which all complement one another.
About Total’s Antwerp Platform
Total has three production facilities in the port area of Antwerp that form an integrated refining and petrochemical platform. The platform produces various petroleum products, such as fuel oil, gasoline, LPG, diesel and jet fuel, as well as base chemicals including olefins, C4 fractions and aromatics, some of which are used to manufacture polymers like high density polyethylene. The Antwerp platform has around 1,700 employees. Its products are used in many household and industrial applications, including in the packaging and automotive industries.
About Total
Total is one of the largest integrated oil and gas companies in the world, with activities in more than 130 countries. The Group is also a first rank player in chemicals. Its 97,000 employees put their expertise to work in every part of the industry – exploration and production of oil and natural gas, refining and marketing, new energies, trading, and chemicals. Total is working to help satisfy the global demand for energy, both today and tomorrow