Petrochemicals
US refiners note security upgrades as 9/11 nears
American fuel and petrochemical manufacturers have made major improvements in security to protect their facilities against possible terrorist attacks since Sept. 11, 2001, National Petrochemical & Refiners Association (NPRA) president Charles T. Drevna said on Friday.
NPRA blasts Obama on jobs, seeks less regulation
The US-based National Petrochemical & Refiners Association (NPRA) sharply criticized Thursday’s speech from President Barack Obama on creating jobs in the US, asking for relief from “unwarranted regulatory burdens”.
Momentive expands R&D technical center in Texas
Momentive Specialty Chemicals hosted a ribbon cutting ceremony this week for its expanded technical center in Stafford, Texas, that will house a new technology group focused on product innovations.
UOP wins technology deal for China propylene plant
Honeywell’s UOP has been selected by Fujian Meide Petrochemical Co. to provide key technology to help meet growing Chinese demand for propylene. The new propane dehydrogenation unit at the facility will use UOP's C3 Oleflex technology to produce propylene, a material used in the production of materials such as films and packaging.
Eastman to expand global capacity for plasticizers
Eastman Chemical announced a second expansion of its Benzoflex plasticizer line at the Kohtla-Järve site in Estonia. The expansion will increase capacity at the site by an additional 11,000 metric tons and is expected to be completed by the end of the 2012 second quarter.
US shale advantage to dissipate in future - study
The US shale advantage makes US petrochemicals made from methane and ethane more competitive, but that advantage, accruing mostly to ethylene, dissipates over the next 20 years, according to a new study from Probe Economics.
BASF, Quantiam form catalytic coatings business
BASF has formed a new start-up business with Alberta, Canada-based manufacturing technology firm Quantiam Technologies, seeking to commercialize advanced catalytic surface coatings for steam cracker furnace tubes.
NOVA inks deals for Marcellus Shale ethane supply, delivery to Canada cracker
NOVA Chemicals has entered into three agreements to help revamp its Corunna cracker in Ontario, Canada, to utilize up to 100% natural gas liquids (NGL) feedstocks.
Eastman acquires Brazil plasticizer firm Scandiflex
Eastman Chemical has acquired Scandiflex do Brasil S.A. Indústrias Químicas, a manufacturer of plasticizers located in Mauá, São Paulo, Brazil. The acquired Scandiflex plasticizer business and manufacturing capabilities are now part of Eastman’s performance chemicals and intermediates (PCI) segment.
Tyco buys specialty firm Chemguard for $130mn
Tyco International completed its $130 million acquisition of Chemguard, a leading provider of fire suppression products and specialty chemicals. Founded in 1984 and based in Mansfield, Texas, Chemguard's fire suppression portfolio includes an extensive line of foam concentrates, firefighting hardware and engineered foam systems for a broad range of industrial applications.
- BASF supports European 1,4‑butanediol supply security through increased production in Ludwigshafen 2/16
- Vitol backs proposed $3-billion LNG power plant for South Africa's Durban port 2/16
- HAMR Energy receives additional funding for low-carbon liquid fuels projects 2/16
- NASCAR names POET official bioethanol partner: Becomes first major motorsports series to utilize zero-carbon bioethanol 2/16
- ExxonMobil starts third advanced plastics recycling unit at Baytown complex 2/16
- Geoinform, subsidiary of the MOL Group, signs strategic cooperation agreement with Baker Hughes 2/16
