LyondellBasell is very close to completing the restart of its steam cracker in Corpus Christi, Texas, after a planned turnaround. The startup process began early November and was expected to last through December 7. The turnaround included a 800 million lb/year (363,000 mt/year) expansion that is estimated to have cost $600 million.
LyondellBasell will first bring the plant to original operating rates before ramping up to the new nameplate capacity. The Corpus Christi plant was taken offline for a planned 120-day shutdown in mid-April and was initially due to be completed by mid-August. The restart was first delayed from mid-August to the end of September, and then to early November, before it was moved up to October, and then delayed again to early November. During an earnings call last week, CEO Bob Patel said LyondellBasell had completed commissioning at the Corpus Christi cracker and would restart it in November.
