Honeywell UOP has been contracted to supply technology for two separate projects in Poland and Algeria.

In Plock, Poland, PKN Orlen will apply the UOP MaxEne process to its naphtha stream, where the technology will direct the molecules within the naphtha feed to the process that delivers the greatest value, also improving yields.

“PKN Orlen seeks to extend its value chain towards high-margin products, which are increasingly in demand across global markets,” said Józef Węgrecki, member of the PKN Orlen management board, operations. “The MaxEne technology would allow us to better harness the potential of our refinery in Poland.”

MaxEne separates full-range naphtha into a stream of normal paraffins, which UOP said is ideal for steam crackers because they produce high yields of light olefins, as well as a second stream of isoparaffins, naphthenes and aromatics, which are perfect for catalytic reformers because they produce high yields of aromatics.

“Since the cost of naphtha represents most of the production cost for most chemicals, we can improve the profitability of petrochemical operations by ensuring the right molecules go to the right processes,” said Bryan Glover, vice president and general manager of Honeywell UOP’s Petrochemicals & Refining Technologies business. “The UOP MaxEne technology is designed to improve molecule management and increase the production of light olefins by up to 30 percent, and the production of aromatics by as much as 12 percent.”

UOP added that PKN Orlen will be the first refining and petrochemicals company in Europe to use its MaxEne technology.

The second contract is for the supply of its Oleflex propylene technology to Sonatrach Total Entreprise Polymeres (STEP), a joint venture between Algerian energy company Sonatrach and French oil, gas and chemicals group Total.

STEP is planning to build a propylene/PP complex in Arzew, Algeria. It has already chosen LyondellBasell’s Spheripol technology for the 550,000 t/y PP pant at the site.

In addition to the technology license, Honeywell is providing basic engineering design services, equipment, catalysts and adsorbents for the propylene unit.

The deal is the engineering contractor’s second project in North Africa for Oleflex. Last year, UOP won a contract from Sidi Kerir Petrochemicals (SIDPEC), which is building a 500,000 t/y on-purpose propylene facility in Amerya, near Alexandria in Egypt.