US Firms Supply Tech for Russian Gas Complex

Russia’s privately owned RusGazDobycha plans to obtain technology from US group McDermott’s Lummus Technology subsidiary for a $11bn gas-based petrochemical project on the Baltic coast.

RusGazDobycha said in a statement on November 1 it had signed a licensing agreement with Lummus for the company’s ethylene production and separation technology. It also revealed it had already reached a similar deal with Texas-based Univation Technologies for polyethylene production technology.

The Baltic chemical complex is set to produce 3mn mt/yr of ethylene and polyethylene, using ethane feedstock supplied from a nearby integrated gas processing and liquefaction complex that RusGazDobycha is developing jointly with state-owned Gazprom. Both projects are due to start up in 2023.

RusGazDobycha recently hired a Chinese contractor for the chemical plant's construction.