Shell completes its Port Allen Plant expansion to increase precipitated alumina powder production

According to a recent report, Shell Catalysts & Technologies (SC&T) has successfully completed the expansion of its Port Allen, Louisiana plant in the US, to double the production capacity of precipitated alumina powder. The project is part of the SC&T’s strategy to meet the growing demand for precipitated alumina powder in the residue and gasoil hydroprocessing markets.

Besides productions, this expansion will allow the Port Allen plant to increase powder supply to its world-scale catalyst plant, located at the Port Allen facility, and also to other Shell catalyst plants globally.

The expansion project includes the capacity ramp-up of existing equipment, the addition of several new major pieces of processing equipment, and improving energy-efficient alternatives to reduce fixed and variable costs associated with powder production.

In addition, since embedding safety in the plant design was a key part of the project, the SC&T team designed and laid out equipment in a way that safety risks were mitigated and process equipment became reliable and ready to allow for safe commissioning and start-up.

“SC&T is constantly looking to the future as energy demands increase, and as a premier catalyst provider, prepared to meet those demands,” said Darylene Harris, site general manager for the Port Allen Plant. “With the PAPA addition SC&T will now be a net exporter of powder."