TotalEnergies has announced a major reconfiguration plan for its industrial platform in Antwerp, Belgium, aimed at enhancing competitiveness in the evolving petrochemical market. The site, operational for more than 75 years, is a strategic facility for the group’s refining and petrochemical operations in Europe.
Closure driven by declining ethylene offtake
TotalEnergies plans to shut down its oldest steam cracker at the Antwerp site by the end of 2027. This decision follows the termination of a long-standing contract with a third-party customer that previously consumed a significant portion of the unit’s ethylene output. As the cracker is not integrated with the group’s polymer production lines, it no longer has internal industrial outlets.
The company stated that the closure will be implemented without any job losses. The 253 affected employees will be offered either retirement options or internal transfers to other roles within the Antwerp site, as part of a legally required consultation process with employee representatives starting in late April.
Site modernisation and new energy investments
In parallel with the closure, TotalEnergies is advancing a series of projects to align the Antwerp platform with future industry requirements. The company has signed a tolling agreement for 130 MW of a 200 MW electrolyser developed by Air Liquide, to produce 15,000 tonnes of green hydrogen per year for use on-site. The required electricity will be supplied by TotalEnergies’ offshore wind project OranjeWind.
The green hydrogen produced is expected to reduce CO2 emissions at the site by up to 150,000 tonnes annually, while contributing to the European Union’s RED III targets for renewable energy in transport.
Sustainable fuel production and energy storage
A coprocessing project for the annual production of 50,000 tonnes of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) is also scheduled for launch in 2025. The process enables simultaneous treatment of hydrocarbons and biomass in a conventional refining unit without the need for infrastructure modification.
The Antwerp platform now hosts TotalEnergies’ largest battery storage system in Europe, with a capacity of 75 MWh and a power rating of 25 MW. Commissioned in 2024, the facility supports grid stability in Belgium and across Europe by helping to manage the intermittency of renewable energy sources.
“By continuously adapting our Antwerp site, we are ensuring its industrial viability and performance in a fast-changing market,” said Ann Veraverbeke, Managing Director of TotalEnergies Antwerp, in a statement issued on April 22.
