I N D U S T R Y &. B U S I N E S S Hydrocarbons Complex Completed 3 5 0 million pound ethylene potential awaits CPî at Columbia Hydrocarbons' new petrochemical complex X ui. CHUMK'AL spotlight
focused
on
the bustling Ohio Valley again last week. Occasion: at Siloam, K>., Columbia Hydrocarbons officially cut the tape on its new fractionating plant —the final link in a n e w hydrocarbon complex on the Ohio River. In t h e heart of t b e industry-laden tri-state area (West Virginia—Ohio—Kentucky ), the dual-phase operation's initial annual capacity is pegged a t : • 105 million gallons of • (>S million gallons of • 23.7 milion gallons of • 10.5 million ga'lons of oline.
ethane. propane. butane. natural gas-
Columbia Hydrocarbons spreads t h e welcome mat wide for olefin interests. Ethylene potential is 3 5 0 million pounds per year from the ethane and other hydrocarbons. As it stands now, t h e
ethane is separated and then returned to the natural gas stream. Initially, most of the butane will go t o upgrade gasoline. T h e balance, along; witb all the propane, is earmarked initially for liquefied petroleum gas markets. The complex continues the westward trend along the Ohio of the chemical activity that started around the Pittsburgh-Wheeling area. Over-all installation: an extraction plant a t Kenova. \V \ ι ι 35-mile im'****-"··'™*"'! ™™»_ line from Kenova to Siloam; and the Siloam fractionating unit. T b e extrac tion plant captures the ''tream of mixed liquid hydrocarbons, funnels it via the pipeline to the Siloam unit. Here the hydrocarbons are separated a n d either sold or stored in sealed underground caverns. Fractionation and storage facilities, a., well as the pipeline, belong to Columbia Hydrocarbons, whollv owned subsidiary of the Cohimhia Cas Svstem. Another Columbia Cas sub-
FIRST LINK. Extraction plant at Kenova, W. Va., captures mixed liquid hydro carbons, sends them b y underground pipeline to Siloam, Ky., to be separated 26
C&EN
APRIL
2 7, 1 9 5 9
sidiary. United Fuel Cas, owns and operates the extraction plant. Total outlay for the complex was about $13 million. Columbia Cas is a public util ity holding company. The units feed on t h e last major uîitappeci suppiv ot natural gas πι tiic Appalachian area, says Columbia. These vast virgin reserves are rich ( 2 0 ' * ) in hydrocarbons heavier than methane and contain an unusually high percentage of ethane. And 20 years from now, the rich gas supply is esti mated at 9 6 ' r of tbe present daily rate, the company adds. • Ethylene Picture Bright. Colum bia has explored ethylene production possibilities at Siloam with an eye toward attracting chemical industry to the area, finds that results are very promising. A 200 million pound-peryear plant could produce ethylene to sell not in excess of 5 1 _» cents a pound. Columbia estimates. This maximum price is somewhat higher than Gulf Coast ethylene, which sells at about 4.8 to 5.0 cents a pound, Columbia admits. But Siloam's shipping advan tage offsets the Southwest's price nod. Columbia has set aside some choice in dustrial plant site acreage adjoining Siloam, anticipating future olefin de velopments. Negotiations between Columbia and Commercial Solvents toward a joint petrochemical venture (C&EN, Nov. 10, 1956, page 5615) were terminated in 19ο"7. But now Columbia is anxious to get together with officials of chemical companies to work out development arrangements.
