US contractor KBR has been granted approval by Methanex to begin work on the detailed engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) phase of the Geismar 3 methanol project in Louisiana, USA. Methanex’ board of directors gave a final investment decision on the project last month.

KBR was awarded a reimbursable front end engineering design (FEED) contract in July 2018, with an option at the time to provide EPC services.

After completing the FEED phase, KBR said it will continue to work closely with Methanex to provide reimbursable EPC services for the third methanol plant, which will be located adjacent to two of the producer’s existing facilities at Geismar.

The contractor, which is carrying out the work at its Houston center, expects to complete EPC activities in the second half of 2022.

Separately, KBR announced last month that it had won a contract to license its phenol and acetone technology to China’s Qingdao Haiwan Chemical.

Under the terms of the contract, KBR will provide the technology license and basic engineering design as well as technical and training services for a 320,000 t/y plant to be build in Dongjiakou Industrial Zone, Qingdao City, Shandong Province.

Gao Zijian, Haiwan Chemical’s general manager, said the phenol plant will “play an important role in the company’s progress of industrial transformation and upgrading. ”

KBR said it has completed more than 50 phenol projects worldwide.