An ethane or other hydrocarbon feedstock is steam cracked to produce an
ethylene stream which is processed in an ethylene plant recovery section
to separate an ethane recycle and a polymer grade or chemical grade
ethylene product stream. A portion of the ethylene product stream may
then be reacted by dimerization to produce a butene stream. These formed
butenes and/or butenes recovered from other sources and another portion
of the ethylene product stream are reacted by metathesis to produce a
propylene stream which is deethanized and separated from heavier
hydrocarbons to produce the propylene product. The butene product stream
may also be deethanized and is separated from heavier hydrocarbons. The
overhead from the metathesis section deethanizer may be recycled to the
ethylene plant recovery section. The reflux for the metathesis section
deethanizer may be generated from the overhead or may be a portion of the
ethylene product stream.