Brazil-based chemicals major Braskem has selected INEOS technology for two of three polyethylene (PE) plants at its “Ethylene XXI”´ petrochemicals project in Mexico. The two plants will utilize INEOS´s Innovene S slurry technology and are to have a combined capacity of 750,000 tbs/yr of high density polyethylene (HDPE). The third plant is planned to be able to produce 300,000tns/yr of low density polyethylene (LDPE). The agreement will gave Braskem the opportunity to produce up to 4m tns/yr of PE using INEOS technology over a period of 10 years. In addition, Braskem and INEOS are to conduct research and development programmes for the slurry and gas-phase PE platforms. The Ethylene XXI project is a joint venture between Braskem and Mexico’s Idesa, comprised of an ethane-based cracker plus downstream PE. The project is scheduled to start up in early 2015 and will be located in Coatzacoalcos.