Royal Dutch Shell said it plans to increase by more than 20% the production capacity of olefins and aromatics at its petrochemicals complex in Singapore, but did not say how much the expansion would cost.

The ethylene cracker opened in March 2010 and is a key part of the complex, which is the company's largest-ever petrochemicals investment. It is integrated with Shell's 500,000 barrels-per-day (bpd) refinery on Singapore's Bukom island and a mono-ethylene glycol plant in the Jurong Island industrial complex.

"The investment will generate additional volumes to help us meet growing demand from our customers in the region," said Ben van Beurden, executive vice president for Shell Chemicals.

This project will be important in helping Shell grab a larger share of the estimated $395 billion global market for specialty chemicals -- high-value raw materials used in products from diapers to higher-performance tyres and LCD televisions.