Borealis and TotalEnergies JV Baystar fires up latest ethane cracker in Texas

Bayport Polymers LLC (Baystar) , a 50/50 joint venture between Borealis and TotalEnergies, has commenced commercial operations of a new ethane cracker with an annual production capacity of one million tonnes of ethylene.

The almost $2bn project built on the site of the TotalEnergies Refinery in Port Arthur, Texas, represents 14 million hours worked with more than 2,500 workers at peak construction.

The ethylene produced by the cracker will be used as feedstock to supply Baystar’s existing PE units, as well as a new Borstar technology polyethylene unit currently under construction in Bayport, Texas.

Borealis CEO, Thomas Gangl said: “I am excited to see the start-up of this new ethane cracker, an important milestone for us as we are expanding our global footprint through Baystar. We are pleased to bring Borealis’ proprietary Borstar technology to North America for the first time, allowing Baystar to produce enhanced polyethylene products for the most demanding applications.”

The start-up of the new ethane cracker is an important milestone for Baystar becoming a fully integrated polyethylene company. The focus is on growing the polymers market in North America and leveraging the power of partnerships.

The Baystar JV is the translation of the growth ambitions of Borealis and TotalEnergies in the United States.