• A new refinery upgrading complex, consisting of a solvent de-asphalting unit and a mild hydrocracking unit. Intended primarily to convert heavy fuel oil into desulfurized diesel and ultra low sulfur heating oil, the planned complex responds to the shift in demand toward products with a lower environmental impact. The facility is scheduled to start up in early 2016.

• A new plant to convert low value refinery fuel gases into low cost petrochemical feedstock, replacing expensive oil-based naphtha. By further enhancing the integration between the platform’s refining and petrochemical units, this project will increase the competitiveness of the latter. The facility is scheduled to start up in early 2017.

In the framework of this modernization plan, two existing production facilities will be shut down, as they are no longer competitive in the world economic environment:

• The smallest and oldest steam cracker, currently idled for lack of markets, will be permanently stopped and dismantled.

• The smallest and oldest polyethylene production line will be closed at end-2014, once an investment in other polyethylene lines to produce a new range of innovative polymers has been completed.

The Antwerp platform’s workforce will remain unchanged at around 1,700 people.

Total has three production facilities in the port area of Antwerp that form an integrated refining and petrochemical platform. The platform produces various petroleum products, such as fuel oil, gasoline, LPG, diesel and jet fuel, as well as base chemicals including olefins, C₄ fractions and aromatics, some of which are used to manufacture polymers like high density polyethylene.