TPC Group Completes Initial Phase of Di-isobutylene (DIB) Capacity Upgrade Program
HOUSTON (September 20, 2023) – TPC Group has announced that it has completed the initial phase of its di-isobutylene (DIB) capacity upgrade to supply the growing global demand for DIB driven by the adoption of low global warming potential refrigerants. These next-generation refrigerants are mandated by the Kigali Amendment to the United Nations’ Montreal Protocol, which is estimated to reduce up to 105 billion tonnes of carbon dioxide when fully adopted. DIB is a raw material in the manufacture of components of the lubricants used in these next generation cooling systems.
In 2021, the Company commissioned a cross-functional team to identify efficiency improvements and infrastructure upgrades to increase the processing capacity of DIB, a performance chemical manufactured at TPC Group’s integrated production facility in Houston. The Company has a history of finding low-cost solutions to add capacity.
The first milestone in this effort is marked by a demonstrated annual production increase of 17 percent through engineering and operational improvements. The team has identified further improvements that can be implemented over the next several years.
“TPC is dedicated to supplying our current and future customers what they need and when they need it,” said Randall Redd, vice president, performance products for TPC Group. “Employing creative improvements to make additional volume available when needed highlights our Company’s flexibility and collaborative approach to serving the industry. Included in this innovation are identifying opportunities to support our customer’s focus on emission reduction and sustainability. TPC is a leader in North America for DIB and all our businesses, and it will remain our priority to provide this important product for our customers.”
DIB is also used in phenolic resins for tire manufacturing, antioxidants for plastics, and other high-performance chemicals in personal care, lubricant additives, and adhesives. TPC is unique in that we have both on-site production of our isobutylene raw material not connected to the C4 streams from ethylene crackers as well as the capability to load trucks, iso containers, railcars, ships, and barges for delivery anywhere in the world.
TPC Group, headquartered in Houston, is a leading producer of value-added products derived from petrochemical raw materials such as C4 hydrocarbons, and provider of critical infrastructure and logistics services along the Gulf Coast. The Company sells its products into a wide range of performance, specialty and intermediate markets, including synthetic rubber, fuels, lubricant additives, plastics and surfactants. With an operating history of more than 75 years, TPC Group has a manufacturing facility in the industrial corridor adjacent to the Houston Ship Channel and operates product terminals in Port Neches, Texas and Lake Charles, Louisiana.