Petrochemicals
Low oil jeopardizes Middle East chemical projects
The recent cancellation of the Al Sajeel and Al Karaana projects in the Middle East, consultant Sanjay Sharma said, are examples of how the oil price slowdown is already impacting specific investments in the region. He expects producers are going to be fairly cautious going forward with new investments.
Indian Oil plans $500MM expansion of Panipat naphtha cracker by 2019
The expansion would increase capacity of the Panipat cracker in northern India from about 850,000 tpy to 1.2 MMtpy by 2019. It would cost about half-a-billion dollars, a company official said.
Enterprise nears US ethane exports at new plant
The export terminal, which is on schedule to commence operations in the third quarter of 2016, will have the capability to load fully refrigerated ethane at rates up to 10,000 bbl/hour.
INEOS to provide US ethane to ExxonMobil, Shell for Scotland ethylene plant
The Fife ethylene plant is one of Europe's largest and most modern ethylene facilities. The plant started production in 1985, and is one of only four natural gas-fed steam crackers in Europe.
ALTIVIA Petrochemicals buys former Sunoco units in Ohio for phenol, acetone
The Haverhill facility is the third largest producer of merchant phenol and acetone in the Americas, after Ineos and Shell. Phenol and acetone are petrochemical intermediates.
Fluor erects tallest lift for new CPChem cracker
Over the past three months, Fluor has executed nine mega-lifts at the site by erecting the major pieces of equipment that will be used in the plant’s operations. Each lift was more than 275 tons.
Sadara Chemical inks storage, port services deals
JCSSC will operate the new facilities at Petrochemical Quay 2, located in KFIP. The agreements with JCSSC will allow for the storage and export of Sadara's liquid products from Saudi Arabia.
Remove O2 and CO from monomer and N2 streams in polymer plants
To prevent deactivation, the latest generation of polymerization catalysts requires removal of a wide range of contaminants to ultra-low levels in the monomer, comonomer, solvent and reaction-controlling gas streams in polyolefin production processes.
Technip licenses ethylene technology for PTT’s grassroots Ohio cracker
Key technology components include Technip’s proprietary USC furnaces preferred for high-capacity, low-cost gas cracking capabilities as well as Technip’s well-established ethylene recovery system.
Syngas plans $360MM methanol plant in Louisiana
After securing permits, Syngas anticipates beginning construction in the second quarter of 2016, with completion expected at the end of 2018 and an initial production capacity of 500,000 tpy.

- Brazil's Petrobras to invest $4.8 B in integration between Reduc refinery and Boaventura complex 7/8
- Braskem completes first sale of circular polyethylene in South America 7/8
- bp's 440,000-bpd refinery in Whiting, Indiana (U.S.), reported flaring due to operational conditions 7/8
- UK's insolvent Lindsey oil refinery secures some crude supply to keep running for now 7/8
- Brazil's energy minister hints at possible fuel price cuts 7/8
- Marathon Galveston Bay refinery (U.S.) hydrotreater to remain shut until September 7/8