Qatar puts big Vinyls expansion on hold

Qatar Vinyl Co.(QVC; Mesaieed, Qatar) has put a major ethylene dichloride (EDC) and chlorine expansion at Mesaieed on hold because of a shortage of ethylene feedstock and for economic reasons. QVC is a joint venture among Qatar Petrochemical Co.(Qapco), which holds 31.9%, Hydro Polymers (29.7%), Qatar Petroleum (QP) 925.5%0, and Arkema (12.9%). QVC planned to triple EDC capacity and build a chlor- alkali unit designed to produce 300,000 m.t./year of chlorine, at a cost of about $500 million. QVC is instead studying to plans to stretch existing capacity to the maximum, and is looking to add 70,000 m.t./year of EDC capacity, which will take the total to 260,000 m.t./year, increase vinyl chloride monomer (VCM) capacity, and raise caustic soda capacity. QVC's postponement will help the company to reassess the economic viability of the project at a time of very high energy prices.