McDermott Wins Indian Polymer Contracts

US engineering contractor McDermott International has won technology contracts for three PP projects in India. A timescale and proposed start-up dates for the plants were not disclosed for any of the projects.

The first award was from HPCL Rajasthan Refinery Ltd. (HRRL) for the license and basic engineering design of two 490,000 t/y plants in Pachpadra Tehsil, Barmer district, Rajasthan. Both plants will use Lummus’s proprietary Novolen process reactors and proprietary NHP catalyst to produce a wide range of PP products for Indian and regional markets.

Daniel McCarthy, executive vice president of McDermott’s Lummus Technology business, said the project is the largest Novolen-licensed PP award to date and the largest PP plant in India. He commented: “Our process includes a high degree of flexibility to adjust to market demand and HRRL will enjoy the full benefits of economies of scale and technology capability for this world-scale plant.”

The other contract was awarded by Indian Oil for the license and basic engineering design of a 200,000 t/y plant in Barauni as well as a 420,000 t/y plant in Gujarat. Here, too, the plants will be based on Lummus’s Novolen process and NHP catalyst.

“By licensing this technology to enhance the profitability of both the Barauni refinery and the Gujarat Refinery, Indian Oil will be able to produce a variety of polypropylene products to meet India’s increasing demand for plastics,” McCarthy said.