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Shell Eastern Petrochemicals Complex (SEPC)

The Shell Eastern Petrochemicals Complex (SEPC) is Shell’s largest-ever petrochemicals investment and represents a significant step in our commitment to the region.

Key facts

Key facts: Shell Eastern Petrochemicals Complex
Location:	Pulau Bukom and Jurong Island, Singapore
Category:	Integrated chemicals plant
Interest:	Shell 100%
Production:	800,000 tpa Ethylene, 750,000 tpa Mono-ethylene-glycol 155,000 tpa Butadiene, 450,000 tpa Propylene 230,000 tpa Benzene
Key contractors:	Foster Wheeler, ABBLummus/Toyo

Project scope

The MEG plant currently under construction will be one of the world's largest MEG plants

The 100% Shell-owned facility comprises an 800,000-tonnes-a-year ethylene cracker and butadiene extraction unit on Bukom Island; a 750,000 tonnes-a-year mono-ethylene glycol (MEG) plant on neighbouring Jurong island; and a butadiene plant on Jurong Island. Shell is also modifying our existing refinery at Bukom to enable it to produce feedstock for the new ethylene cracker.

Project timescale

Construction work on the SEPC began in October 2006, and remains on schedule for start-up by the end of the decadeearly 2010. The MEG plant started up as initially planned in November 2009.

Operating efficiency

The ethylene cracker project alone has used more than enough steel to build two Eiffel Towers

Singapore is already Shell’s largest petrochemical production and export centre in the Asia-Pacific region. SEPC has been strategically located to take advantage of existing infrastructure and to ensure that maximum benefits are achieved by integrating the petrochemical site with the Bukom refinery. This will deliver operating efficiencies and valuable by-products, as well as the ability to use feedstock from the adjacent refinery rather than importing from elsewhere.

MEG is used as a raw material for the textile and packaging industries in the Asia-Pacific region. A benefit of the SEPC site is its proximity to markets and customers.

Technology

Aerial of the Shell Eastern Petrochemicals Complex

The MEG plant on Jurong Island will incorporate a number of significant technology advances that will help achieve the highest possible production of ethylene glyco from ethylene. Using Shell’s proprietary “Only MEG Advantage” (OMEGA) process will also ensure that less energy and water will be used in the process and virtually no by-products will be created.

Shell companies have a long history in the manufacture of MEG with strengths in process technology, proprietary catalyst technologies, and manufacturing and marketing.

Environment and society

When planning the SEPC, Shell worked with the Singapore Government and other local authorities to ensure all relevant social and environmental standards would be met.

The Singapore Government reclaimed land for the project using a method that lessen silt and damage to corals near the reclamation area, and it supports the SEPC in the provision of land, labour, infrastructure and training. At its peak, construction of the complex will employ up to 12,000 people.

The majority of products will be transported by existing undersea pipelines. The project will also use recycled water and all by-products will be returned to the adjacent Bukom refinery, with air and water quality remaining within permitted limits.