- The new eleventh steam cracker furnace will cost over CZK 700 million and be commissioned in 2022.
- Technip Energies will build the furnace using SMK™ coil technology.
- The steam cracker's capacity will increase to 585 kt of ethylene per year.
- A new dicyclopentadiene unit costing nearly CZK 1 billion will launch at the end of 2022.
Investment and Expansion
ORLEN Unipetrol is responding to the growing global demand for petrochemical products by expanding its petrochemical operations. Following the completion of a new polyethylene unit (PE3) for high-density polyethylene, the company is now increasing the capacity of its steam cracker in Litvínov. The new eleventh steam cracker furnace, costing over CZK 700 million, will be commissioned in 2022 and built by Technip Energies.
Technological Advancements
The project will utilize Technip Energies' proprietary SMK™ coil technology in a triple-lane arrangement, featuring large-scale vortex burners (LSV®) and side wall burners (TSWB®) to minimize NOx emissions. This follows the successful delivery and start-up of four cracking furnaces in 2016.
Capacity and Production
The steam cracker, located in Záluží near Litvínov, is the largest chemical facility in the Czech Republic. Originally commissioned in 1979, it currently comprises ten cracking furnaces with a production capacity of 545 kt of ethylene per year. The new furnace will increase this capacity to 585 kt of ethylene annually.
Future Developments
In addition to the steam cracker expansion, ORLEN Unipetrol plans to launch a new dicyclopentadiene (DCPD) unit at the end of 2022, costing nearly CZK 1 billion. This will position the company as one of the four largest DCPD manufacturers in Europe.
