Chevron Phillips Chemical (CPChem) has reached a final investment decision to expand the low-viscosity polyalphaolefins (PAO) capacity at its Cedar Bayou plant in Baytown, Texas, by 10,000 tpy, or about 20%, the company announced Tuesday. 

The expansion will allow the company to meet the increasing demand for high-performance lubricants in automotive and industrial applications, as demand for higher energy efficiency and high-quality basestocks continues to grow.

The project should also improve process safety and overall unit efficiency while reducing waste generation for the Cedar Bayou’s PAO unit, the company says.

Feedstocks for this project will be provided through Chevron Phillips Chemical’s recent 100,000-tpyexpansion of normal alpha olefins (NAO) capacity at its Cedar Bayou plant.

“This additional capacity enables us to expand with our customer base to meet the future requirements of the industry," said Miles Oberton, business manager for global PAO at CPChem. 

Chevron Phillips Chemical describes itself as a leader in the development and production of PAOs, marketed under the brand name Synfluid PAO, which are used for a variety of automotive and industrial applications including engine oils, gear oils and greases.

Construction will begin in April 2016, with completion and startup expected by mid-2017. The expansion will support up to 135 construction and engineering jobs.