OxyChem fine-tunes production of KOH, chlorine

Occidental Chemical is converting a membrane-cell chlor-alkali plant in Taft, La., into a potassium hydroxide (KOH) plant and, after this conversion is completed in 2008, will close a mercury-cell chlor-alkali plant in Muscle Shoals, Ala. OxyChem says it had been considering converting the mercury-cell chlor-alkali production in Muscle Shoals to membrane-cell-based production. "It was determined, however, that the economics do not justify the necessary capital investment for this relatively small chlor-alkali operation," says Chuck Anderson, OxyChem's president. The Muscle Shoals plant has a capacity of 154,000 metric tons of chlorine-a mere 4% of OxyChem's total-and 242,000 metric tons of KOH. With the closure of the Muscle Shoals chlor-alkali plant, OxyChem will no longer have mercury-cell chlor-alkali production in the U.S. OxyChem intends to keep operating a potassium carbonate joint venture in Muscle Shoals and a KOH plant in Mobile, Ala.