BP expanding PTA output

BP is moving forward with plans to expand its Geel, Belgium, purified terephthalic acid (PTA) plant by more than 350,000 metric tons per year by early 2008. BP says it will get the additional capacity by retrofitting the plant with its proprietary PTA technology, which BP claims enjoys lower costs than other PTA technologies. The project will bring the plant's annual PTA capacity to 1.4 million tons. BP says it will also use the technology for a new 900,000-metric-ton unit the firm is planning for Zhuhai, China. At Geel, BP has also completed a 30% expansion of its capacity for p-xylene, the key PTA raw material, to 560,000 metric tons per year using its proprietary technology.