Middle East
Dow, Saudi Aramco finalize Sadara chemical JV; senior officials named
Dow Chemical and Saudi Aramco on Monday announced the official formation of Sadara Chemical Co. (Sadara), a joint venture between the two companies. First production units are expected to come on line in the second half of 2015. All units are expected to be up and running in 2016.
GTL base oil shipments from Shell Qatar venture begin reaching Americas
Shell Lubricants says its first shipment of gas-to-liquid (GTL) base oil has reached the Port of Houston. The high-quality product, the first from the Qatar-based Pearl GTL plant to reach the Americas, will be stored at a hub in Houston and routed to Shell Lubricants' GTL-enabled blending facilities throughout the US, the company said.
IEA urges fix of renewable energy subsidies
Governments offering financial incentives to renewable energy generation technologies must do more work to make this support more cost effective, the International Energy Agency said Wednesday. Problems can be avoided by quickly adapting subsidy policies as technologies evolve and their costs fall, said the agency.
Emir of Qatar inaugurates Pearl GTL Project
Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al-Thani today officially inaugurated the Pearl Gas-to-Liquids (GTL) Project, the largest GTL plant in the world and the largest energy project in the state of Qatar.
SABIC helps Hyundai's QarmaQ crossover go green
Saudi Basic Industries Corp. (SABIC) will take part in the 10th International Plastics and Petrochemicals Trade Fair to showcase its range of polymer solutions. A highlight of the SABIC pavilion will be Hyundai's QarmaQ crossover utility vehicle.
ABB starts up lube oil blending plant for Petromin
ABB Cellier, a segment of ABB France's Process Automation division, recently launched operations at a new lube oil blending plant for Petromin Corp. in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.
Foster Wheeler inks engineering, construction pact for Qatargas LNG
Foster Wheeler and joint venture partner Qatar Kentz have signed an engineering, procurement and construction management (EPCm) framework agreement with Qatargas Operating Co. (Qatargas). The agreement will be for three years with an option to extend for a further two years.
Iraq cabinet OKs $17.2 billion Shell gas deal
The Iraqi cabinet Tuesday approved a deal worth up to $17.2 billion for Shell to capture and process gas from three giant southern oil fields - Rumaila, West Qurna phase 1, and Zubair in the southern governorate of Basra, a government spokesman said. The Iraqi Oil Ministry initialed the Iraq South Gas agreements last July with Shell and Japan's Mitsubishi Corp.
Compounder A Schulman opens UAE sales office
US-based plastics compounder A Schulman has opened a sales office in Ras al-Khaimah, United Arab Emirates (UAE), part of what the company says is a global expansion effort to serve growing markets for value-added niche products.
Cristal, Outotec to partner on TiO2 feedstock plant in Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia-based titanium dioxide (TiO2) producer Cristal Global announced what it called a groundbreaking partnership with Outotec, a leading provider of metals processing solutions. Outotec has been selected to build a new fully scalable ilmenite-processing plant for Cristal in Yanbu, Saudi Arabia, estimated to become operational in the fourth quarter of 2013.

- Transition Industries signs agreements for the Pacifico Mexinol Project, an ultra-low carbon chemical production facility 7/3
- Bangkok Airways introduces SAF on commercial flights 7/3
- EcoCeres secures SAF contract with British Airways to help reduce carbon emissions 7/3
- Air Liquide to invest up to $200 MM in Louisiana, U.S. to support industrial growth 7/3
- MOL completes the acquisition of LBC Tank Terminals 7/3
- BHP awards charter contracts for two ammonia dual-fueled vessels 7/3