A Paris-based engineering design and construction firm has won its second front-end engineering design contract this year with a local petrochemical company.

Officials from Technip announced that the firm has been awarded a contract to supply ethylene technology and front-end engineering design (FEED) for Sasol’s ethane cracker.

“We are pleased that Sasol selected our technology for this world-scale cracker, which will benefit from the current low US natural gas prices and abundance of ethane,” said Sten Knez, Technip’s senior vice president of process technology, in a statement. “As the largest ethylene licensor and contractor, Technip is proud to support Sasol’s objectives to expand its downstream business in the U.S.”

Technip’s operating center in Houston will execute the FEED project, which is scheduled for completion by the end of 2013. In August, Technip was awarded a FEED contract from Trunkline LNG, which is looking to expand its Lake Charles plant.

Sasol’s proposed $7 billion ethane cracker will produce ethylene, which, in turn, will be used to make products such as synthetic fibers, detergents, paints and fragrances. The facility is expected to produce an estimated 1.5 million tons of ethylene a year.

Construction on the ethane cracker is expected to begin next spring.

Sasol officials declined to comment on this story.

(Special to the American Press)