Propylene Production from Propane (Moving-Bed Reactor)
Propylene Production Costs Report | Issue B | Q3 2024
Report Details |
550 kta United States-based plant | Q3 2024 | 107 pages |
This report presents a cost analysis of a 550 kta (kilo metric ton per annum) United States-based plant. You can add a customized cost analysis, assuming another location (country), when ordering a premium edition of this report.
Report Abstract
This study presents the economics of Polymer Grade (PG) Propylene production from propane. The process consists in the dehydrogenation of propane, carried out in a moving-bed reactor, similar to UOP Oleflex. The economic analysis performed assumes a plant located in the United States.
The report provides a comprehensive study of Propylene production and related Propylene production cost, covering three key aspects: a complete description of the Propylene production process examined; an in-depth analysis of the related Propylene plant capital cost (Capex); and an evaluation of the respective Propylene plant operating costs (Opex).
The Propylene production process description includes a block flow diagram (BFD), an overview of the industrial site installations, detailing both the process unit and the necessary infrastructure, process consumption figures and comprehensive process flow diagrams (PFD). The Propylene plant capital cost analysis breaks down the Capex by plant cost (i.e., ISBL, OSBL and Contingency); owner's cost; working capital; and costs incurred during industrial plant commissioning and start-up. The Propylene plant operating costs analysis covers operating expenses, including variable costs like raw materials and utilities, and fixed costs such as maintenance, labor, and depreciation.
Process Schematic

Propane dehydrogenation (PDH) is an endothermic equilibrium reaction. The PDH process portrayed in this analysis is similar to the Oleflex process developed by UOP LLC and is suited to produce polymer-grade (PG) propylene from propane. This process is carried out in the presence of a platinum catalyst and achieves overall propylene yields of about 90 wt.%.
The industrial plant can be divided into two main sections: (1) reaction; and (2) product recovery.
Reaction. In the reaction section, after heavy impurities removal in the depropanizer column, propane is sent to the dehydrogenation reactors. The propylene yield in such reactors is favored by higher temperatures and lower pressures. However, temperatures that are too elevated will promote thermal cracking reactions that generate undesirable byproducts. Therefore, the PDH reaction usually occurs at temperatures above 600°C and near atmospheric pressures. In order to purge the coke accumulated on the catalyst surface during the reaction, a continuous catalyst regenerator (CCR) unit is required. The catalyst circulates in moving beds through the reactors, before being fed to the CCR unit, which operates independently of the reaction, burning off the coke and returning the catalyst to its reduced state.
Product recovery. The reactor effluent is compressed, dried and sent to the product recovery section. In this section, a hydrogen-rich stream is recovered and light hydrocarbons and hydrogen traces are removed in a de-ethanizer. The PG propylene product is further purified in a propane-propylene (P–P) splitter and leaves as the top product.
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Production Process Information
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Operating Cost Details
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Production Process Information
Process Consumptions
Labor Requirements
Plant Capital Cost Summary
Operating Cost Summary
Production Costs Datasheet
Plant Capital Cost Details
Operating Cost Details
Plant Cost Breakdowns
Plant Capacity Assessment
Process Flow Diagrams
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Content Highlights
Plant Capital Cost Summary
Summary outlining the capital cost required for building the Propylene production plant examined
Plant Capital Cost Details
Detailing of fixed capital (ISBL, OSBL & Owner’s Cost), working capital and additional capital requirements
Plant Cost Breakdowns
Breakdown of Propylene process unit (ISBL) costs and infrastructure (OSBL) costs; plant cost breakdown per discipline
Operating Costs Summary
Summary presenting the operating variable costs and the total operating cost of the Propylene production plant studied
Operating Cost Details
Detailing of utilities costs, operating fixed costs and depreciation
Plant Capacity Assessment
Comparative analysis of capital investment and operating costs for different Propylene plant capacities
Production Process Information
Block Flow Diagram, descriptions of process unit (ISBL) and site infrastructure (OSBL)
Process Consumptions
Raw materials and utilities consumption figures, by-products credits, labor requirements
Process Diagrams
Process flow diagrams (PFD), equipment list and industrial site configuration
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