BASF butadiene extraction plant in Antwerp now operational

BELGIUM-BASF has started up its butadiene extraction plant at its Verbund site in Antwerp, Belgium. The plant has an annual production capacity of 155,000MT.

The plant in Antwerp is BASF’s second butadiene extraction plant in Europe. BASF already operates a butadiene extraction plant at its Verbund site in Ludwigshafen, Germany, with an annual production capacity of 105,000MT. With the new plant in Antwerp, BASF is doubling its production capacity for butadiene in Europe.

The butadiene will be extracted from crude C4, a product from the steam cracker. Butadiene is a raw material that can be used to produce synthetic rubber, among other applications. The tire industry is one of the main consumers of butadiene. Other applications for butadiene include plastics production and paper chemicals.