China-based Hengli Petrochemical (Dalian) Refinery has awarded a contract to Chicago Bridge & Iron Co. (CB&I; The Woodlands, Texas) to use its Catofin catalytic dehydrogenation technology for a new propane and butane dehydrogenation plant to be constructed in Dalian, Liaoning Province.

Under the deal, CB&I will license and provide engineering for the dehydrogenation unit. As well as CB&I’s Catofin technology, the unit will use Clariant’s Catofin catalyst to process 300,000 tonnes of propane and 600,000 tonnes of isobutane feedstock to jointly produce propylene and isobutylene. The unit is claimed to be the largest single-train dehydrogenation plant in the world.

“CB&I’s Catofin technology provides our customers with proven reliability and the flexibility to co-process multiple feed compositions at world-scale capacities,” said Daniel McCarthy, CB&I technology operating group president. “In addition to this award, CLG, CB&I’s joint venture with Chevron, was awarded the isodewaxing catalytic isomerization and isofinishing hydrofinishing processes for this project. This multi-technology award underscores CB&I’s
broad portfolio of technology solutions."

CB&I’s Catofin propane dehydrogenation process is a fixed-bed process that helps produce commercial quantities of propylene from propane. The company notes that with the help of recently improved catalyst technology, the Catofin process has been able to accomplish high conversion rates for propane dehydrogenation.