Houston, Texas - August 7, 2023 - S&B Engineers and Constructors (S&B) today announces the successful completion of the Chevron Phillips Chemical second U.S. world-scale unit for producing on-purpose 1-hexene. The companies and community leaders celebrated the milestone at a ribbon-cutting event in Brazoria County.
Located in Old Ocean, Texas, near Chevron Phillips Chemical's Sweeny complex, it is now the world’s largest on-purpose 1-hexene unit, utilizing latest advancement in the company's proprietary technology. The new unit will produce up to 266KTA (586MM lbs per year) of 1-hexene, a critical component in high-performance polyethylene.
“This significant milestone marks another exceptional collaboration between S&B and Chevron Phillips Chemical, reinforcing S&B’s proven capabilities in safely executing world-class projects,” said J.D. Slaughter, Chairman of S&B. “A safe project is a productive project, and this does not happen without strong partnership and a dedicated team. This project had both and the results demonstrate that.”
S&B's technical expertise played a pivotal role in the successful execution of this project. S&B saw the project from conceptual design through mechanical completion, dedicating more than 2 million hours to the design and construction of the plant.
The company's previous collaboration with Chevron Phillips Chemical on the first U.S. 1-hexene unit, completed in 2014 at the Cedar Bayou plant in Baytown, Texas, garnered recognition with the prestigious Excellence in Construction Award from the Associated Builders and Contractors. This accolade highlights S&B's commitment to innovative design, meticulous craftsmanship, and exceptional safety performance.
"The successful completion of this project reinforces our trust in S&B,” said Mitch Eichelberger, Executive Vice President of Polymers and Specialties at Chevron Phillips Chemical. “Our longstanding relationship proved essential as we strive to meet the evolving needs of our customers and fulfill the increasing global demand for 1-hexene.”