ExxonMobil Chemical Company announced today that it has completed its detailed study of a second world-scale steam cracker complex in Singapore and made the final decision to proceed with construction. The project will be located at and integrated with its existing Singapore site, providing feedstock, operating and investment synergies with both the chemical plant and refinery.

“This is a significant investment for ExxonMobil and it demonstrates our continued commitment to serve Asia Pacific as well as our confidence in the region’s long-term growth potential,” said Michael J. Dolan, president, ExxonMobil Chemical Company. “We have a long and successful history in Singapore. This project supports Singapore's vision to be a global petrochemicals hub and enhances ExxonMobil Chemical’s ability to meet increasing demand for our products in the region.”

The project reinforces ExxonMobil Chemical’s leadership in the industry, which is exemplified through operational excellence, customer focus, a disciplined investment strategy and deployment of state-of-the-art and innovative technologies.

The new petrochemical project will include a world-scale, one million tons-per-year ethylene steam cracker, two 650,000 tons-per-year polyethylene units, a 450,000 tons-per-year polypropylene unit, a 300,000 tons-per-year specialty elastomers unit, an aromatics extraction unit to produce 340,000 tons-per-year of benzene and an oxo-alcohol expansion of 125,000 tons-per-year. A 220 megawatt power cogeneration unit will also be built. Project start-up is expected in early 2011.

“The project will employ ExxonMobil's latest proprietary technologies,” said Jeffery W. Davis, Asia Pacific manufacturing director, ExxonMobil Chemical Asia Pacific. “The new complex will provide increased flexibility to meet customers' needs by processing a broad range of feedstocks and converting them into higher-value products, such as new metallocene-based Vistamaxx™ specialty elastomers, Exceed™ polyethylene resins and Exact® plastomers.”

ExxonMobil Asia Pacific Pte Ltd also announced that it has awarded the design, engineering, procurement and construction (DEPC) contract for the steam cracker recovery unit to The Shaw Group. The EPC contract for the steam cracker furnaces has been awarded to Mitsui Engineering and Shipbuilding and Heurtey. Mitsui Engineering and Shipbuilding has also been awarded EPC contracts for the polypropylene and specialty elastomers units. The EPC contract for the two polyethylene units has been awarded to Mitsubishi Heavy Industries.