ExxonMobil to build 2 plants in Singapore

ExxonMobil Chemical has chosen its Singapore petrochemical complex as site for two facilities that will manufacture premium halobutyl rubber and Escorez hydrogenated hydrocarbon resin. Engineering and procurement activities have begun, with construction expected to begin in the second half of 2014 and completion anticipated in 2017. The company is a major supplier of halobutyl rubber to the global tyre industry, and this expansion project will add production capacity of 140,000 tonnes per year. The hydrogenated hydrocarbon resin production unit will be the world’s largest, with a capacity of 90,000 tonnes per year, to meet long-term demand growth for hot-melt adhesives. The company’s expanded steam cracking capability at Singapore provides a platform for growth through a wide range of petrochemical building blocks that can be further upgraded to specialty products, according to Steve Pryor, President, ExxonMobil Chemical Company. www.exxonmobilchemical.com