APA gives a favorable opinion on the expansion of the Repsol Petrochemical Complex in Sines

Portuguese Environment Agency issued the DIA “with a favorable sense” to the expansion project of the Sines Industrial Complex, considered of Potential National Interest (PIN)

The expansion project for the Repsol Petrochemical Complex in Sines, worth more than 657 million euros, obtained a favorable Environmental Impact Statement (DIA), the company announced. 

According to Repsol, the Portuguese Environment Agency (APA) issued the DIA “with a favorable sense” to the expansion project of the Sines Industrial Complex, considered of Potential National Interest (PIN).

The issuance of the DIA "is one of the most anticipated milestones", as it "allows us to advance to a new stage of the expansion project", stressed the director of the Alba project, Juan Lorenzo Boix Arenas, quoted in the statement.

“We are taking another step towards decarbonising Repsol and, consequently, the Portuguese economy”, said the official, adding that this project “will make it possible to increase Repsol's exports and reduce its imports”.

Once completed, the Alba project will allow “the proximity supply of high added value polymers to a wide range of national export clusters, from automotive components to medical devices, including food products”, he stressed.

According to the company, the project to expand Repsol's petrochemical complex in Sines "corresponds to the largest industrial investment made in Portugal in the last 10 years, with a value of more than 657 million euros".

In the construction phase “it will employ an average of 550 jobs, reaching a peak of more than 1.000 workers” and, when it goes into operation, the company foresees a “net increase in personnel of approximately 75 direct jobs and about 300 indirect”.

In the statement, the project director also highlighted the “collaboration of national and local authorities” that “has been fundamental” in the licensing process and indicated that the complex’s expansion works are due to start soon.

“The project is scheduled to start shortly, and is expected to end in 2025, with the start of its operations”, he concluded.

The Alba project will build two factories that will use the produced ethylene and propylene, which are commonly exported.

The two factories will use Univation Unipol PE and Spherizone technologies, from LyondellBasell Industries, and thus hope to transform ethylene into high-density polyethylene (used in pipes, plastic packaging for hygiene or food products or films) or into high-density polyethylene. low density (used in foams, electrical cables).

With this use, Repsol Polímeros hopes to increase its production to up to 850.000 tons per year, of which 310.000 tons will be exported through the port of Sines, 220.000 tons to Spain, 220.000 tons to the rest of Europe and 100.000 tons will be used in Portugal.

 



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