Petrochemicals
Louisiana group plans to build largest methanol plant in North America
The $1.3 billion facility will convert 163,000 million British thermal units of natural gas into 5,000 tpd of methanol. The new plant is "emblematic of the reindustrialization of the US based on low-cost energy feedstocks in the form of natural gas," said Simmons & Co. International analyst Bill Herbert.
Advanced Refining to sell hydrocracking catalysts for Chevron Lummus
Under the agreement, ART will be the worldwide provider for hydrocracking and lubes hydroprocessing catalysts. CLG will continue to focus on its world-class technology development, licensing, design, and revamp of hydrocracking, lubricant base oil, resid hydrotreating, and resid hydrocracking plants.
Toyo wins deal to build Indonesia ammonia plant
The plant is scheduled to be completed in the third quarter of 2015. The project plans to produce ammonia as a feedstock for downstream chemicals such as fertilizer, acrylonitrile, caprolactam and ammonium nitrate using natural gas produced from the Senoro and Toili gas fields in Central Sulawesi.
Oxea starts construction on China derivatives plant
The Nanjing plant will produce specialty esters, phthalate-free plasticizers and other oxo derivatives for the local market. Oxea expects the new plant to be mechanically complete at the end of 2013.
QP, Shell award FEED to Fluor for Al-Karaana petrochemicals project
The scope being considered includes a world-scale steam cracker, with feedstock coming from natural gas projects in Qatar; a 1.5 million tpy mono-ethylene glycol plant using Shell’s proprietary OMEGA technology; a 300,000 tpy linear alpha olefins unit; and a 250,000 tpy oxo-alcohols unit.
Sinopec, SK to build new formaldehyde, butanediol plants in Southwest China
The BDO plant will have a capacity of 200,000 tpy, according to the report. The project will also include plants for acetylene and formaldehyde. Located in the Changshou Economic-Technological Development Area, the project is expected to be completed by the end of 2015.
TPC approves engineering design phase for Texas butadiene expansion
This approval follows the successful completion of the project's preliminary engineering study to produce butadiene from a variety of sources. TPC Group said it anticipates that its engineering design optimization will be complete by the end of the third quarter of 2013.
China mandates environmental insurance program for chemical factories
China's Ministry of Environmental Protection said its pilot insurance plan is now mandatory for mining and smelting producers, lead-acid battery manufacturers, leather goods producers and chemical factories. Petrochemical companies are "encouraged to be insured," the ministry said in a statement.
C3 Petrochemicals plans new Texas PDH plant
If the application is approved, C3 Petrochemicals will build a new propane dehydrogenation (PDH) plant near Alvin, Texas, to produce polymer- and chemical-grade propylene.
Clariant opens new AMPS polymers plant in Spain
Two separate lines will produce polymers for the industrial and consumer specialties unit and the company's oil and mining services business. These range from emulsifiers and rheology modifiers for use in face creams, to fluid loss control additives for well cements used in oil and gas drilling.
- SkyNRG starts construction on its first SAF plant in Delfzijl, the Netherlands 2/13
- India's Reliance wins U.S. license for Venezuelan oil 2/13
- Singapore light distillates stocks hit over 3-yr high on robust imports 2/13
- Three contractors injured at ExxonMobil facility in Beaumont, Texas (U.S.) 2/13
- China's epic renewables boom lifts it into rare clean capacity club 2/13
- TotalEnergies booked loss in France due to refining activities, CEO says 2/13

