BERLIN, Germany, May 12, 2006 -- A Zimpro wet air oxidation (WAO) system has been selected to treat ethylene spent caustic at a grassroots ethylene plant in Shuaiba, Kuwait. The Olefins-2 Petrochemical Complex is a joint venture between the Dow Chemical Company and Petrochemical Industries Co. (PIC), Kuwait. EPC contractor on the project is Technip Italy, S.p.A.
The system will be supplied by the Water Technologies division of Siemens' Industrial Solutions and Services (I&S) Group.
Using WAO technology will help the plant alleviate two problems frequently associated with ethylene spent caustic: disposal and odor. The technology destroys odorous sulfides and allows acid neutralization of the spent caustic, and discharge to conventional biological treatment.
"Zimpro® wet air oxidation technology is commonly selected in new ethylene facilities for treating spent caustic," says Rob Lawson, director of industrial sales for Siemens Water Technologies, in Rothschild, Wis. "We now have dozens of operating units treating ethylene spent caustic. This is a clean and effective treatment process that fits well into ethylene plant operations. The Olefins-2 project will be our first in Kuwait."
The 850,000 m.t./year Olefins-2 ethylene plant is scheduled to be completed in mid 2008.
Siemens Water Technologies, including the USFilter Group of Companies, delivers cost-effective, reliable water and wastewater treatment systems and services to municipal, industrial, commercial and institutional customers worldwide. The division "Water Technologies" is part of Siemens' Industrial Solutions and Services Group (I&S) which is a system and solution provider for industrial and infrastructure facilities and global service provider for the plant and projects business covering planning, installation, operation and the entire life cycle. In fiscal 2005, I&S employed a total of 31,700 people worldwide and achieved total sales of EUR 5.390 billion [US$6.967 billion]. For more information, see: www.siemens.com/water or www.usfilter.com.
[US$1 = EUR 0.7737]
###