Process Optimization
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.
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.
BASF awards engineering work to Fluor on German toluene diisocyanate plant
The single-train, 300,000 tpy plant will produce TDI and expand additional plants as precursors for polyurethanes at the BASF site in Ludwigshafen. Production is set to begin in the fourth quarter of 2014.
KBR licenses technology to Bolivia ammonia plant
The fertilizer ammonia complex will be designed using KBR’s Purifier technology. KBR will additionally supply proprietary operator training simulators and a steam dynamic simulation study to ensure a safe, fast, efficient startup of the ammonia plant and continued support to the operations.
Tenaris to build $1.5bn pipe plant in South Texas
The facility is expected to produce 600,000 tpy of casing and tubes used in drilling as well as pipe used to move oil and gas. The company said Friday it would break ground on the facility in 2014 and complete it in 2016. It is expected to generate 600 manufacturing jobs with an average salary of $66,000 a year.
Foster Wheeler signs technology pact with Shell for global downstream work
Under this agreement, Shell may request Foster Wheeler to provide support in basic engineering packages for the following technologies: distillation, hydrocracking, hydrotreating, thermal conversion, ethylene oxide, pyrolysis gas, fluid catalytic cracking and CANSOLV sulfur dioxide scrubbing.
Lukoil picks Tecnicas Reunidas for upgrade project at Volgograd refinery
Lukoil and Tecnicas Reunidas will construct a vacuum gasoil light hydrocracker unit with an annual capacity of 3.5 million metric tons and up to 75% conversion ratio, a combined sulphur production unit and hydrogen production facilities at the refinery that is about 1,000 kilometers south of Moscow.
Pemex awards work to Technip for revamp of Lara Sosa refinery in Mexico
The scope of work includes the detailed engineering, procurement, construction, training, commissioning and start up for the recondition of the combustion gases system of the No. 1 catalytic plant (FCC) of the refinery. Technip's operating center in Mexico City, Mexico, will execute the project.
CB&I formally acquires US engineering major Shaw
CB&I had said that combining the two companies would create "one of the most complete engineering, procurement, fabrication, construction, maintenance, and associated services companies in the world". CB&I plans to operate Shaw as a business sector under the brand name CB&I Shaw.
- Petrobras delivers LPG sold at steep premiums despite Lula move to annul auction 4/3
- Plug Power to supply 275-MW GenEco electrolyzer system for Hy2gen’s Courant decarbonized ammonium nitrate project 4/3
- Vietnam refinery boosting jet fuel production 4/3
- China plans to upgrade some petrochemical plants, phase out others by 2029 4/3
- Morocco has diesel stocks for 51 days, energy ministry says 4/3
- Nigeria's Seplat Energy hit by strike amid push for higher output 4/3

