BASF & Petronas JV to build HR-PIB facility
July 22, 2015 - Malaysia
The existing joint venture of BASF and Petronas Chemicals Group Berhad (PCG) is building a new world scale plant to produce highly reactive polyisobutene (HR-PIB) at their facility in Kuantan, Malaysia.
“The first of its kind in South East Asia, with a total annual capacity of 50,000 metric tons of HR-PIB, the plant is expected to start production in the fourth quarter of 2017,” a BASF press release said.
HR-PIB is an important intermediate product for the manufacturing of high performance fuel and lubricant additives, including additives for sludge prevention.
“Leveraging excellence in technology will be an important factor in accelerating future profitable growth globally and especially in Asia,” said Christian Fischer, president of BASF’s Performance Chemicals division.
“With this investment, we are building on the solid, long-term relationship with our strategic partner Petronas,” Fischer added.
“The fully integrated Kuantan site is one of BASF’s two Verbund sites in the Asia Pacific region and the new investment will further increase security of supply for HR-PIB, especially for the Asian market,” BASF too added.
“The investment marks another milestone in the development of the Kuantan site as a leading specialty chemicals hub in the Asia Pacific region,” said Datuk Sazali Hamzah, CEO of PCG
“It also strengthens the presence of highly advanced and forward oriented technologies and expertise in Malaysia and the region,” Hamzah informed.
BASF has been producing HR-PIB since 70 years and operates production facilities for HR-PIB at sites in Germany, Belgium and a joint venture with Sinopec YPC in China.
BASF offers the broadest range of polyisobutenes with different molecular weights which are marketed by the global business unit Fuel and Lubricant Solutions under the brand names of Oppanol and Glissopal.
In addition to the proposed plant, the joint venture is also building two plants at its Kuantan site, a facility for manufacturing citronellol, L-menthol as well as citral and its precursors.
The other plant will produce 2-ethylhexanoic acid (2-EHA) used in production of synthetic lubricants as well as oil additives.
It is also used for functional fluids like automotive coolants, metal salts for paint dryers, plasticizers, stabilizers, catalysts and other applications in various industries. (AR)
“The first of its kind in South East Asia, with a total annual capacity of 50,000 metric tons of HR-PIB, the plant is expected to start production in the fourth quarter of 2017,” a BASF press release said.
HR-PIB is an important intermediate product for the manufacturing of high performance fuel and lubricant additives, including additives for sludge prevention.
“Leveraging excellence in technology will be an important factor in accelerating future profitable growth globally and especially in Asia,” said Christian Fischer, president of BASF’s Performance Chemicals division.
“With this investment, we are building on the solid, long-term relationship with our strategic partner Petronas,” Fischer added.
“The fully integrated Kuantan site is one of BASF’s two Verbund sites in the Asia Pacific region and the new investment will further increase security of supply for HR-PIB, especially for the Asian market,” BASF too added.
“The investment marks another milestone in the development of the Kuantan site as a leading specialty chemicals hub in the Asia Pacific region,” said Datuk Sazali Hamzah, CEO of PCG
“It also strengthens the presence of highly advanced and forward oriented technologies and expertise in Malaysia and the region,” Hamzah informed.
BASF has been producing HR-PIB since 70 years and operates production facilities for HR-PIB at sites in Germany, Belgium and a joint venture with Sinopec YPC in China.
BASF offers the broadest range of polyisobutenes with different molecular weights which are marketed by the global business unit Fuel and Lubricant Solutions under the brand names of Oppanol and Glissopal.
In addition to the proposed plant, the joint venture is also building two plants at its Kuantan site, a facility for manufacturing citronellol, L-menthol as well as citral and its precursors.
The other plant will produce 2-ethylhexanoic acid (2-EHA) used in production of synthetic lubricants as well as oil additives.
It is also used for functional fluids like automotive coolants, metal salts for paint dryers, plasticizers, stabilizers, catalysts and other applications in various industries. (AR)