- The new polyethylene unit costs 8.5 billion crowns.
- Completion is expected by mid-2018.
- The unit will have a production capacity of up to 270kt.
- The main contractor is Technip Company.
Project Overview
Today, the Czech Prime Minister, Mr. Bohuslav Sobotka, Minister of Industry and Trade, Mr. Jan Mládek, PKN ORLEN’s CEO Wojciech Jasiński, and Unipetrol’s CEO Marek Świtajewski, officially broke ground on the new polyethylene unit (PE3) construction. This project represents the largest investment in the history of the Czech petrochemical industry, amounting to 8.5 billion crowns. The unit is expected to be one of the most advanced production facilities in Europe once operational.
Timeline and Capacity
The inauguration of the new polyethylene unit is planned for mid-2018. The new unit will have a production capacity of up to 270kt. During certain phases of construction, up to 800 workers will be on site.
Technical Specifications
The construction will involve a total of 2,000,000 hours of work, consumption of roughly 22,000 cubic meters of concrete, 4,000 tons of steel, and 750 km of instrument and electric cables. The new unit will be built based on a technology license from INEOS, acquired by Unipetrol at the end of 2013. The main contractor for the project is Technip Company.
Strategic Importance
The new polyethylene unit will enhance the use of the Steam Cracker and contribute to greater coherence between petrochemical and refining production within the Unipetrol Group. It will also enable the company to meet the growing global demand for high-density polyethylene and expand into other industrial segments such as cosmetics and packaging.
