MHI Compressor Ships Steam Turbine-Driven Compressor Package to Texas-Based Golden Triangle Polymers Co.

Chevron Phillips Chemical and QatarEnergy’s joint venture, Golden Triangle Polymers Co., received its first turbomachinery shipment from Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Compressor International Corp. (MCO-I): successfully tested steam turbine-driven compressor packages for the project’s 2,080 KTA ethane cracker.

The $8.5B Golden Triangle Polymers project—located in Orange County, Texas—integrates an ethane cracker and two polyethylene units in a 1,600-acre space.

“Our relationship with Chevron Phillips Chemical and QatarEnergy spans 20+ years of successful equipment supply, as well as outage services at their existing operations,” said Clayton Jurica, Vice President of Sales at MCO-I. “We’re thrilled that they’ve partnered together on this industry-critical project on the U.S. Gulf Coast. Over the last two years, the MHI team has been focused on manufacturing and successfully testing our turbomachinery in support of the joint venture’s growth project."

Here is the breakdown of MHI Compressor’s equipment scope:

• three main compressor packages for the ethane cracker’s operation; each compressor is driven by special-purpose steam turbines:
  • cracked gas compressor
  • propylene refrigerant compressor
  • ethylene refrigerant compressor
• critical auxiliary equipment, such as surface condensers, integrated turbine compressor controls, and lube oil consoles
• three API 612 steam turbines
• four API 617 centrifugal compressors

MCO-I Houston is providing installation services and engineering support onsite during construction. The plant is planned to start up in 2026.

Turbomachinery ethylene plant; credit: MCO-I

Mitsubishi News

In October, MCO-I delivered an advanced CO2 product compressor package to ExxonMobil’s carbon capture and storage (CCS) expansion project in LaBarge, WY. The core equipment, delivered in April 2024, was manufactured and tested at MHI Compressor Corp. (MCO) in Hiroshima, Japan.

MCO-I conducted the packaging work in Pearland, TX, ensuring integration while allowing the end-user to execute final inspections and familiarize themselves with the package locally. Personnel from both MCO and MCO-I were involved in manufacturing, testing, installation, and commissioning support of the compressor package for ExxonMobil’s CCS project.

The company’s other division, Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI), and Osaka Gas recently led a $50 million funding round for Koloma—a geologic hydrogen startup founded by Pete Johnson and headquartered in Denver, CO. The investment was executed through MHI America which joins a network of investors, including Bill Gates’ Breakthrough Energy Ventures, Amazon’s Climate Pledge Fund, United Airline’s Sustainable Flight Fund, and Energy Impact Partners. The company’s total investments amount to more than $350 million since its 2021 launch.

Koloma utilizes its technology, proprietary data, and human capital advantages to identify and commercialize geologic hydrogen on a global scale. Most natural hydrogen originates via serpentinization: underground water contacts iron-rich rocks and creates iron oxides, leaving behind hydrogen. Gaseous hydrogen then rises through permeable rock and soil, forming deposits contained within subterranean domes.