Chemical company to add NGL fractionators in Texas

Plastics, chemical and refining company LyondellBasell announced plans to add two natural gas liquids fractionation units adjacent to its affiliate, Equistar Chemical LP, in Corpus Christi, Texas. TexStar MidStream Services LP will install the fractionators, with construction scheduled to begin in April and finish late this year. The fractionation units will have the capability to process a combined 63,000 barrels per day of natural gas liquids produced from the Eagle Ford shale into ethane, propane, butanes and natural gasoline. Equistar will operate the fractionators for TexStar, with a long-term agreement to purchase propane and ethane produced from the units. The natural gas liquids will be used as feedstocks for Equistar’s olefins unit to produce ethylene and propylene. LyondellBasell recently announced plans to expand ethylene capacity at Corpus Christi by 800 million pounds per year.