Celanese expanding acetic acid in Texas

Celanese plans to expand its acetic acid capacity in Clear Lake, Texas, from 1.3 million metric tons to 2 million t per year by 2021. The initiative follows an agreement that Celanese signed last month to buy a 365,000 t per year synthesis gas plant from Linde at the site. Acetic acid is made via the carbonylation of methanol with the synthesis gas constituent carbon monoxide. Celanese says the Clear Lake expansion improves its cost structure and will allow it to reduce capacity in Singapore and Nanjing, China, by 600,000 t per year. The company adds that the Clear Lake project will allow for $100 million worth of productivity and efficiency benefits. Celanese recently completed an expansion in Clear Lake for the acetic acid derivative vinyl acetate.