Project Profile
Value: Undisclosed
Location: Parkersburg, Wood County of West Virginia, USA
Capacity: unknown
Start-up Year: -
The Brazilian companies Odebrecht and Braskem are currently investigating the opportunity to develop the Appalachian Shale Cracker Enterprise (Ascent) Petrochemical complex project at Parkersburg in the Wood County of West Virginia, USA. Odebrecht and Braskem are exploring a new business model in USA in locating their ethylene cracker and associated petrochemical complex at the heart of the shale gas production. Currently most of the petrochemical capacities are concentrated around the Gulf of Mexico coast in Texas and Louisiana states. Braskem and Odebrecht plan three polyethylene units. In this context, Shell in Pennsylvania and the Brazilian team Odebrecht - Braskem in West Virginia explore alternative solutions to develop their petrochemical complex as close as possible from the shale gas production basins.At the current stage of the feasibility study, the Ascent Petrochemical Complex should include:
- Ethane cracker
- Three polyethylene plants
- Water treatment facilities
- Gas-fired co-generation power plant
For the Ascent project, Braskem should manage, operate and promote the petrochemical complex while Odebrecht would take care of the design and construction of the project. In addition Odebrecht should operate the utilities facilities for the water treatment and the power generation as part of its Utilities Division. No planning as been given yet, but a site purchase option should be signed with Parkerburg Authorities in order to proceed on fast track with the Appalachian Shale Cracker Enterprise (ASCENT) project when the final investment decision (FID) is made.
Operators:
Shell: Operator with 100% interest
Contractors:
Odebrecht: Design and construction of the project
Braskem: Operation and promotion of the complex
Technip: Contract to supply its proprietary ethylene technology and process design package (PDP) for a world-class grassroots ethane cracker. Technip’s operating centres in Houston, Texas and Claremont, California, USA, and Rome, Italy, will execute this initial project phase.