Shell to become major solid wax producer

SHELL MDS (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd recently launched its RM300 million (US$97.5 million) solid wax plant expansion project at its gas-to-liquid (GTL) complex in Bintulu. The new facility, which is expected to double Shell MDS’ solid wax output, will strengthen the company’s position as a leading producer of quality GTL hard waxes and slab waxes in the world, said Ate Visser, Shell Upstream International Asia vice-president for gas. He said the solid wax plant, which was completed in November last year, has the capacity to convert some three million cubic meters of natural gas into 14,700 barrels of clean GTL products per day. Solid waxes comprise a significant portion of the wax plant’s production.
The wax plant is one of three Shell projects that form the company’s RM5.1 billion (US$1.6 billion) entry point project, which is outlined under the Malaysian government’s Economic Transformation Program. The GTL complex opened in 1993 and is the world’s first commercial GTL plant. It is operated by Shell MDS, a joint venture between Shell, Mitsubishi, Petronas and the Sarawak government. Visser said the company plans to develop more new specialty products from its GTL plant. He added that the company has invested about US$300 million in research and development and expects to announce at least two new products in the first part of 2013. (October 17, 2012)