TPC Group
TPC Group, headquartered in Houston, Texas, is a global leader in producing value-added products from petrochemical raw materials, specializing in C4 hydrocarbons and providing critical infrastructure and logistics services along the Gulf Coast.
Company Overview
TPC Group's corporate office is located in Houston, Texas, and the company is a global leader in producing value-added products derived from petrochemical raw materials such as C4 hydrocarbons. With an 80-year operating history, TPC Group has established itself as the largest independent processor of crude C4 in North America. The company operates product terminals in Port Neches, Texas, and Lake Charles, Louisiana, providing critical infrastructure and logistics services along the Gulf Coast.
Product Offerings
TPC Group produces a variety of products including CC4 Processing, Butadiene, Butene-1, Fuel Products, Polyisobutylene, and Isobutylene Derivatives. The Houston facility boasts a combined production capacity of more than 1.5 billion pounds per year. Products like butene-1 are crucial in the production of linear low-density and high-density polyethylene while butadiene is used in multiple applications such as synthetic rubber, ABS resins, and nylon.
Operational Facilities
TPC Group operates several facilities, including its Houston Operating facility which employs nearly 300 full-time employees and 125 contractors. The Port Neches Terminal employs more than 70 full-time employees and utilizes an extensive supply chain and logistics network to move crude C4, butadiene, and raffinate. The Lake Charles terminal consists of a barge dock facility and storage tank farm on five acres, further enhancing the company's logistics capabilities.
Technological Innovations
TPC Group's proprietary TPC Group OXO-D™ technology represents a highly efficient method for converting butylenes into butadiene through oxidative dehydrogenation. This technology underlines the company's commitment to innovation and efficiency in petrochemical processing, offering significant advantages over traditional methods.
Sector Uses and Applications
TPC Group's products are essential to various industries. Butadiene is used in synthetic rubber for tires and hoses, nylon for carpeting and airbags, latex for paper coatings and carpet backing, ABS resins for plastic components, and styrene block copolymers (SBC) elastomers for roofing and footwear. The company's methyl tertiary butyl ether (MTBE) is used as an octane and oxygen-rich gasoline blending component, improving gasoline combustion and reducing air emissions. Raffinates serve as feedstock in producing alkylate, a high-octane gasoline blending component.