LyondellBasell has selected Fluor to carry out the engineering and procurement for its propylene oxide (PO) and tertiary butyl alcohol (TBA) project located at its Channelview and Bayport complexes outside of Houston.

“This facility is a strategic part of LyondellBasell’s organic growth plans and we are pleased to continue our partnership on this project. We are pleased to continue our partnership on this project. Using our Zero Base ExecutionSM approach, the LyondellBasell and Fluor team developed a fit-for-purpose solution that optimized the plant design, leveraged global procurement opportunities and implemented a cost-effective modularization approach. Our integrated solutions approach substantially reduced the facility’s capital costs and helped LyondellBasell achieve their final investment decision on this world-scale chemical facility,” said Mark Fields, President, Fluor’s Energy & Chemicals business, the Americas.

Once completed, the plant will produce 1 billion pounds per year of PO and 2.2 billion pounds per year of TBA. At the peak of construction, the project, the single-largest capital investment in LyondellBasell’s history, is expected to create up to 2,500 jobs and approximately 160 permanent positions when operational. The project is expected to be completed in 2021.

PO is a building block of many everyday products, including bedding, furniture, carpeting, coatings, building materials and adhesives. The TBA will be converted to fuel additives that help gasoline burn cleaner and reduce automobile emissions.