Polish petrochemicals group PKN Orlen is to build a metathesis unit at its site in Plock. The unit will add capacity of 100,000 t/y polymer-grade propylene taking total output to 550,000 t/y. The project, costing around 400 million zloty (€92 million), has been approved by the company’s management and supervisory boards.

Technology is being licensed from Lummus Technology, a division of US contractor CB&I, which is also providing technical and engineering consulting services. President of PKN Orlen’s management board, Wojciech Jasiński, said the company wanted to maximize capacity utilization and boost integration between its petrochemical and refining areas, giving it flexibility to respond to changes in demand for fuels and petrochemicals.

Metathesis technology can process refinery-based C4 feedstocks to maximize propylene output. The group said its strategy provided for capital expenditure of 1.6 billion zloty on key petrochemical projects up to 2017. It did not disclose how much of that sum has been spent to date.