Abstract Process Economics Program Report 36E LINEAR LOW DENSITY POLYETHYLENE (August 2008)

Transcription

1 Abstract Economics Program Report 36E LINEAR LOW DENSITY POLYETHYLENE (August 2008) LLDPE has established itself as the third major member of the global polyethylene business along with LDPE and HDPE. In 2006, worldwide production of LLDPE reached 18.4 million metric tons, corresponding to 29% of total polyethylene. This report is an update and supplement to the series of Economics Program reports on technologies and production costs of linear lowdensity polyethylene (LLDPE). In our report, we examined four processes that are practiced commercially. We evaluated a fluidized-bed gas-phase process, two solution processes, and a slurry loop process. The fluidized-bed gas-phase process is based on patents for the UNIPOL process using a supported metallocene catalyst to produce hexene-based LLDPE. The two solution processes evaluated were based on NOVA Chemical SCLAIRTECH and Advanced SCLAIRTECH processes using advanced Ziegler-Natta catalysts to produce octene-based LLDPE. The slurry loop process is based on ChevronPhillips Chemical patents for their process using a metallocene catalyst to produce hexene-based LLDPE. The metallocene catalyst is based on ChevronPhillips Chemical s activator-support technology. We evaluated the production economics of one nameplate grade for each process based on single-line production capacities of 400,000 ton/yr. Evaluation of the transition costs is also included. In addition to the process evaluations, this report contains summaries of patents relating to the processes we have covered. The processes were updated based on relevant patents and other public disclosures. Also included is a section on the present status of the LLDPE industry with a list of estimated plant capacities. SRI Consulting PEP Report 36E

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4 CONTENTS GLOSSARY... 1 INTRODUCTION SUMMARY INDUSTRY STATUS TECHNICAL ASPECTS LLDPE Production by a Solution LLDPE Production by a Gas-Phase LLDPE Production by a Slurry-Phase ECONOMICS Capital Costs INDUSTRY STATUS INTRODUCTION APPLICATIONS MANUFACTURING PROCESSES CAPACITY AND DEMAND PRODUCERS TECHNOLOGY DEVELOPMENT INTRODUCTION NOVA CHEMICALS Catalysts Ziegler-Natta Catalysts Conventional Ziegler-Natta Catalysts Advanced Ziegler-Natta Catalysts Singe-Site Catalysts SRI Consulting iii PEP Report 36E

5 CONTENTS (Continued) UNIVATION TECHNOLOGIES Catalysts CHEVRON PHILLIPS CHEMICAL COMPANY (CPCHEM) Catalysts LLDPE PRODUCTION BY A SOLUTION PROCESS INTRODUCTION SOLUTION PROCESSES Nova Chemicals Sclairtech and Advanced Sclairtech Dow Chemical s Dowlex Stamicarbon Compact ECONOMIC EVALUATION OF LLDPE BY NOVA CHEMICAL'S SCLAIRTECH PROCESS Description Section Feed Treatment & Catalyst Preparation Section Section Polymerization Section Section Recovery Section Section Recovery Section Discussion COST ESTIMATES FOR LLDPE PRODUCTION BY A SOLUTION PROCESS SIMILAR TO NOVA CHEMICALS SCLAIRTECH PROCESS Total Fixed Capital Production Costs ECONOMIC EVALUATION OF LLDPE BY NOVA CHEMICAL'S ADVANCED SCLAIRTECH PROCESS Description Section 100: Feed Treatment & Catalyst Preparation Section SRI Consulting iv PEP Report 36E

6 CONTENTS (Continued) Section 200: Polymerization Section Section 300: Recovery Section Section 400: Recovery Section Discussion COST ESTIMATES FOR LLDPE PRODUCTION BY A SOLUTION PROCESS SIMILAR TO NOVA CHEMICALS ADVANCED SCLAIRTECH PROCESS Total Fixed Capital Production Costs COMPARISON OF COST ESTIMATES FOR THE SCLAIRTECH AND ADVANCED SCLAIRTECH PROCESSES LLDPE PRODUCTION BY A GAS-PHASE PROCESS INTRODUCTION GAS-PHASE PROCESSES ECONOMIC EVALUATION OF LLDPE BY UNIVATION UNIPOL PROCESS Description Section 100: Polymerization Section 200: Finishing Section Discussion COST ESTIMATES LLDPE PRODUCTION BY A SLURRY-PHASE PROCESS INTRODUCTION CHEVRON PHILLIPS LOOP SLURRY PE PROCESS Background Description Section 100 Feed Preparation and Polymerization Section 200 Diluent and Polymer Recovery Section 300: Finishing Section SRI Consulting v PEP Report 36E

7 CONTENTS (Concluded) Discussion COST ESTIMATES Metallocene Catalyst Cost Estimation TRANSITION COSTS INTRODUCTION GRADE TRANSITION PROCESS LOST PRODUCTION WIDE-SPEC RESIN PRODUCTION PRODUCT INVENTORY TRANSITION COSTS APPENDIX A: PATENT SUMMARY TABLES... A-1 APPENDIX B: DESIGN AND COST BASES... B-1 APPENDIX C: CITED REFERENCES... C-1 APPENDIX D: PATENT REFERENCES BY COMPANY... D-1 APPENDIX E: PROCESS FLOW DIAGRAM... E-1 SRI Consulting vi PEP Report 36E

8 FIGURES 4.1 NOVA Chemicals Single Site Catalysts Bis(1-methyl-3-n-butylcyclopentadienyl)-Zirconium Dichloride Bridged Fluorenyl-Containing Metallocenes Schematic of Advanced SCLAIRTECH Schematic of DOWLEX Schematic of Compact LLDPE Production by a Solution Similar to NOVA Chemicals SCLAIRTECH... E LLDPE Production by a Solution Similar to NOVA Chemicals Advanced SCLAIRTECH... E CSTR Dual Shear Mixing Element Heat Capacity of Cyclohexane and Methylpentane LLDPE Production by a Gas-Phase Similar to the UNIPOL. E Unipol Product Discharge System LLDPE Production by a Slurry Similar to the Chevron-Phillips Slurry Loop... E Production of a Fluorided Silica-Alumina Activator Support... E Grade Change Schematic Transition Costs SRI Consulting vii PEP Report 36E

9 TABLES 2.1 Manufacturing Capacity by es Top Ten Swing LLDPE/HDPE Producers (2006) Capital Costs Production Costs End Use Applications, World Demand Growth by Application Trade Names of Polyethylene Resins Manufacturing Capacity by es Worldwide LLDPE Supply and Demand Annual LLDPE Demand Growth Top Twenty Swing LLDPE/HDPE Producers (2006) Producers and Average Annual Swing LLDPE/HDPE Capacities (2006) NOVA Chemicals Patents... A Univation Technologies Patents... A Slurry Loop Patents... A NOVA Chemicals Single-Site Catalyst Patents Estimated Cost of Supported Zirconocene Metallocene Catalyst Major Differences Among Solution es SCLAIRTECH or Advanced SCLAIRTECH Plants Dow Chemical DOWLEX Plants Compact Licensees LLDPE Production by a Solution Similar to NOVA Chemicals SCLAIRTECH Design Bases And Assumptions LLDPE Production by a Solution Similar to NOVA Chemicals SCLAIRTECH Stream Flows LLDPE Production by a Solution Similar to NOVA Chemicals SCLAIRTECH Major Equipment SRI Consulting viii PEP Report 36E

10 TABLES (Continued) 5.8 LLDPE Production by a Solution Similar to NOVA Chemicals SCLAIRTECH Utilities Summary LLDPE Production by a Solution Similar to NOVA Chemicals SCLAIRTECH Total Capital Investment LLDPE Production by a Solution Similar to NOVA Chemicals SCLAIRTECH Capital Investment By Section LLDPE Production by a Solution Similar to NOVA Chemicals SCLAIRTECH Production Costs LLDPE Production by a Solution Similar to NOVA Chemicals Advanced SCLAIRTECH Design Bases And Assumptions LDPE Production by a High-Pressure Tubular Similar to Sabtec CTR Stream Flows LLDPE Production by a Solution Similar to NOVA Chemicals Advanced SCLAIRTECH Major Equipment LLDPE Production by a Solution Similar to NOVA Chemicals Advanced SCLAIRTECH Utilities Summary LLDPE Production by a Solution Similar to NOVA Chemicals Advanced SCLAIRTECH Total Capital Investment LLDPE Production by a Solution Similar to NOVA Chemicals Advanced SCLAIRTECH Capital Investment By Section LLDPE Production by a Solution Similar to NOVA Chemicals Advanced SCLAIRTECH Production Costs Comparison of Differences Among Several Gas-Phase Polyethylene es LLDPE Production by a Gas-Phase Similar to the UNIPOL Design Bases And Assumptions LLDPE Production by a Gas-Phase Similar to the UNIPOL Stream Flows SRI Consulting ix PEP Report 36E

11 TABLES (Continued) 6.4 LLDPE Production by a Gas-Phase Similar to the UNIPOL Major Equipment LLDPE Production by a Gas-Phase Similar to the UNIPOL Utilities Summary LLDPE Production by a Gas-Phase Similar to the UNIPOL Total Capital Investment LLDPE Production by a Gas-Phase Similar to the UNIPOL Capital Investment By Section LLDPE Production by a Gas-Phase Similar to the UNIPOL Production Costs Announced CPCHEM Slurry Loop Polyethylene Plants LLDPE Production by a Slurry Similar to the Chevron-Phillips Slurry Loop Design Bases And Assumptions LLDPE Production by a Slurry Similar to the Chevron-Phillips Slurry Loop Stream Flows LLDPE Production by a Slurry Similar to the Chevron-Phillips Slurry Loop Major Equipment LLDPE Production by a Slurry Similar to the Chevron-Phillips Slurry Loop Utilities Summary LLDPE Production by a Slurry Similar to the Chevron-Phillips Slurry Loop Total Capital Investment LLDPE Production by a Slurry Similar to the Chevron-Phillips Slurry Loop Capital Investment By Section LLDPE Production by a Slurry Similar to the Chevron-Phillips Slurry Loop Production Costs Activator-Support Production Major Equipment Activator-Support Production Production Costs SRI Consulting x PEP Report 36E

12 TABLES (Concluded) 7.11 Estimated Cost of Metallocene Catalyst System Using Activator-Support Technology for Ethylene Polymerization Estimated Cost of Metallocene Catalyst System Using MAO Co-Catalyst for Ethylene Polymerization Production of Conventional Supported Metallocene Catalyst Production Costs Residence Times Estimated Transition Costs Comparison of LLDPE Production Costs for 400 kta Plant Capacity with Transition Costs SRI Consulting xi PEP Report 36E