Unipetrol launched production of its new butadiene unit.

Butadien Kralupy, the operator of the butadiene unit, will ensure the processing of the C4 fraction from the Unipetrol steam cracker and at the same time will provide raffinate 1, the feedstock of MTBE unit for high-octane gasoline production.

The new unit fully replaces and increases the current production capacity from the original 90 to 120 kt/year, and will put the company among the 10 biggest butadiene producers in Europe. New butadiene unit uses the technology, which is fully compliant with the most strict production safety and environmental care requirements. In comparison with the technology used to-date, 38% of the heat will be saved with the new technology.

In Prague, 25 June 2010