Polymers
INEOS, Solvay to merge European PVC businesses
The new INEOS-Solvay business will have 5,650 employees and combine operations across the chlorvinyls chain, including polyvinyl chloride (PVC), chlorine and caustic soda. The merged enterprise would have combined net sales of €4.3bn ($5.7bn), based on 2012 results.
Investigate power limitations in a large steam turbine
An investigation was carried out to rectify power limitations for a steam-turbine driver of a cracked-gas compressor (CGC) in a world-class ethylene plant.DescriptionThe turbine is a nine-stage, impul..
Consider novel CGC and front-end depropanizer system for olefins production
In the presented case study, an innovative design for an integrated CGC-DeC3 system introduces part of the heavier condensate from the early compression stages directly into the high-pressure (HP) depropanizer.
Enhance operation and reliability of dividing-wall columns
Dividing wall columns (DWCs) are an attractive option when the goals are to reduce energy consumption and capital investment for distillation processes. A major component in a DWC system is the reflux..
LyondellBasell licenses technologies to new China polyethylene, EVA plant
Key features of the Lupotech T tubular technology and the Lupotech A autoclave technology include low manufacturing and investment costs, fast start-up and grade changes, and high quality LDPE and copolymers with up to 40% EVA covering the entire range of melt flows and densities.
Shale energy resources driving resurgence for ethylene industry
The abundant supply of North American shale energy resources is proving to be not only a boon for exploration and production (E&P) companies and energy consumers, but it is also changing the profitabi..
North American olefin producers riding the shale gas wave
With the prospect of abundant low-cost ethane, several producers have announced intentions to build new ethylene capacity.
High-pressure polyethylene: Reemergence as a specialty chemical or not?
The analysis results indicate that, while investment capital for new plants favors LLDPE, plant profitability—which is a function of product slate (revenue) and cost—is, in many cases, higher for LDPE plants.
HPI Focus: New vs. debottlenecking projects
As most owners do not have adequately skilled engineering teams to study these scenarios, engaging an experienced, qualified engineering contractor to support the conceptual study is often warranted.
HP Boxscore Construction Analysis: Ethylene in evolution: 50 years of changing markets and economics
Ethylene is the key building block for the petrochemical industry. This olefin supports 70% of petrochemical industry production and is used to manufacture a wide variety of products for industrial an..
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