search
attachments
weblink
advanced
Overview
Content Tools
Tasks
DATE : 2013-11-15
Under a joint venture, BASF, Cargill, and Novozymes are successfully producing 3-hydroxypropionic acid (3-HP) for the manufacture of acrylic acid. The three companies have also established several technologies to dehydrate 3-HP to acrylic acid. Initially, BASF will be using the bio-based acrylic acid to produce superabsorbent polymers.
SOURCE Icis News
Under a joint venture, BASF, Cargill, and Novozymes are successfully producing 3-hydroxypropionic acid (3-HP) for the manufacture of acrylic acid. The three companies have also established several technologies to dehydrate 3-HP to acrylic acid. Initially, BASF will be using the bio-based acrylic acid to produce superabsorbent polymers.
SOURCE Icis News
DATE : 2013-11-15
The restart of INEOS’ No 5 cracker at Cologne in Germany following planned maintenance has been delayed, resulting in a force majeure declaration on butadiene (BD), according to market sources.
The restart of the 660,000 tonne/year ethylene cracker – one of two owned and operated by INEOS at the site – was delayed because high winds the week ended 1 November halted maintenance activities, sources said.
It was not clear whether force majeure had also been declared on the supply of ethylene and propylene from the cracker.
INEOS has a 145,000 tonne/year BD unit at Cologne, according to ICIS data, supplied with crude C4 (CC4) feedstock from the crackers.
Reduced feedstock would mean reduced BD output. INEOS had not yet responded to a request for comment.
The impact is being felt on the BD market where supply was already constrained because of planned BD unit and cracker shutdowns and – up until recently – strong export demand for Asia.
“Its [BD supply] is very tight – there are further supply issues,” a BD producer said. It added that this had led to a “flurry of activity on the domestic market”.
However, while one major BD consumer agreed that the current market was tight, it said the supply allocation was workable, the situation was not critical and they could reduce operating rates at their consuming unit further if necessary.
It said it had rejected some very high spot offers and had still been able to buy spot volume at close to the November contract price of €900/tonne ($1,216/tonne) FD (free delivered) NWE (northwest Europe).
SOURCE Icis News
The restart of INEOS’ No 5 cracker at Cologne in Germany following planned maintenance has been delayed, resulting in a force majeure declaration on butadiene (BD), according to market sources.
The restart of the 660,000 tonne/year ethylene cracker – one of two owned and operated by INEOS at the site – was delayed because high winds the week ended 1 November halted maintenance activities, sources said.
It was not clear whether force majeure had also been declared on the supply of ethylene and propylene from the cracker.
INEOS has a 145,000 tonne/year BD unit at Cologne, according to ICIS data, supplied with crude C4 (CC4) feedstock from the crackers.
Reduced feedstock would mean reduced BD output. INEOS had not yet responded to a request for comment.
The impact is being felt on the BD market where supply was already constrained because of planned BD unit and cracker shutdowns and – up until recently – strong export demand for Asia.
“Its [BD supply] is very tight – there are further supply issues,” a BD producer said. It added that this had led to a “flurry of activity on the domestic market”.
However, while one major BD consumer agreed that the current market was tight, it said the supply allocation was workable, the situation was not critical and they could reduce operating rates at their consuming unit further if necessary.
It said it had rejected some very high spot offers and had still been able to buy spot volume at close to the November contract price of €900/tonne ($1,216/tonne) FD (free delivered) NWE (northwest Europe).
SOURCE Icis News
DATE : 2013-11-13
South Africa’s Sasol Acrylates began a planned tournaround on its crude acrylic acid (CAA) unit last week, and normal operations are expected to resume early next week, a source from the company said on Wednesday.
“We brought it down a little earlier [than planned], last week Wednesday,” the source said. “Everything is fine, and we should be back by the beginning of next week.”
Sasol Acrylates is based in Sasolburg in the Free State province, South Africa, and has the capacity to produce 80,000 tonnes/year of CAA from the facility.
Acrylic acid and acrylate esters are propylene derivatives.
SOURCE Icis News
South Africa’s Sasol Acrylates began a planned tournaround on its crude acrylic acid (CAA) unit last week, and normal operations are expected to resume early next week, a source from the company said on Wednesday.
“We brought it down a little earlier [than planned], last week Wednesday,” the source said. “Everything is fine, and we should be back by the beginning of next week.”
Sasol Acrylates is based in Sasolburg in the Free State province, South Africa, and has the capacity to produce 80,000 tonnes/year of CAA from the facility.
Acrylic acid and acrylate esters are propylene derivatives.
SOURCE Icis News
DATE : 2013-11-13
Italian chemicals producer Versalis’ butadiene (BD) unit at Brindisi, Italy, is expected to be up and running by the end of this week, a company source said on Wednesday.
“We are in the process of restarting, we expect to produce within the coming days,” the source said.
Maintenance at the 145,000 tonnes/year facility was originally slated to take place at the end of August but was taken offline a couple of weeks earlier because of poor market conditions. Last week, another source had said the restart process had begun.
Versalis owns and operates two BD extraction units in Italy - the other is a 140,000 tonne/year unit in Ravenna, according to ICIS data.
SOURCE Icis News
Italian chemicals producer Versalis’ butadiene (BD) unit at Brindisi, Italy, is expected to be up and running by the end of this week, a company source said on Wednesday.
“We are in the process of restarting, we expect to produce within the coming days,” the source said.
Maintenance at the 145,000 tonnes/year facility was originally slated to take place at the end of August but was taken offline a couple of weeks earlier because of poor market conditions. Last week, another source had said the restart process had begun.
Versalis owns and operates two BD extraction units in Italy - the other is a 140,000 tonne/year unit in Ravenna, according to ICIS data.
SOURCE Icis News
DATE : 2013-11-12
China Petrochemical Devlopment Corp (CPDC) has restarted an acrylonitrile (ACN) plant. A Polymerupdate source in Taiwan informed that the plant restarted over the weekend. It was shut on October 25-26, 2013 for maintenance turnaround. Located in Tashe, Taiwan, the plant has a production capacity of 240,000 mt/year.
SOURCE PolymerUpdate
China Petrochemical Devlopment Corp (CPDC) has restarted an acrylonitrile (ACN) plant. A Polymerupdate source in Taiwan informed that the plant restarted over the weekend. It was shut on October 25-26, 2013 for maintenance turnaround. Located in Tashe, Taiwan, the plant has a production capacity of 240,000 mt/year.
SOURCE PolymerUpdate
DATE : 2013-11-13
Nippon Shokubai plans to restart its 160,000 tonne/year acrylic acid (AA) unit in Himeji, Japan at the end of the month after a scheduled shutdown, a source familiar with the matter said on Wednesday.
The Japanese company shut the unit in the beginning of November for a month-long maintenance and inspection, the source said.
Meanwhile, Nippon Shokubai plans to shut its new 80,000 tonne/year AA unit and its 90,000 tonne/year super absorbent polymer (SAP) unit in Cilegon, Indonesia from end-November to mid-December for scheduled maintenance, the source said.
SOURCE Icis News
Nippon Shokubai plans to restart its 160,000 tonne/year acrylic acid (AA) unit in Himeji, Japan at the end of the month after a scheduled shutdown, a source familiar with the matter said on Wednesday.
The Japanese company shut the unit in the beginning of November for a month-long maintenance and inspection, the source said.
Meanwhile, Nippon Shokubai plans to shut its new 80,000 tonne/year AA unit and its 90,000 tonne/year super absorbent polymer (SAP) unit in Cilegon, Indonesia from end-November to mid-December for scheduled maintenance, the source said.
SOURCE Icis News
DATE : 2013-11-08
French petrochemicals technologies firm Axens will partner with tyre major Michelin and France’s public sector research institute IFP Energies nouvelles to develop and market bio-based butadiene, it said on Friday.
“For Axens, this collaboration is an opportunity to strengthen its expertise and presence in the biomass transformation processes market in the field of biofuels and bio-based chemistry," said Jean-Luc Nocca, Axens' executive vice president for technological development and innovation.
French petrochemicals technologies firm Axens will partner with tyre major Michelin and France’s public sector research institute IFP Energies nouvelles to develop and market bio-based butadiene, it said on Friday.
Axens said that the partners’ “BioButterfly” project for bio-butadiene was backed by a €52m ($70m) budget over eight years. France’s state environment and energy agency will contribute €14.7m to the project’s financing.
BioButterfly would aim to prepare “the future French bio-sourced synthetic rubber industry,” Axens said.
Terry Gettys, research and development director at Michelin, said: “This joint research project with Axens and IFP is an excellent opportunity for Michelin to find new sustainable sourcing channels for elastomers, which are essential for the quality of our tyres.”
“For Axens, this collaboration is an opportunity to strengthen its expertise and presence in the biomass transformation processes market in the field of biofuels and bio-based chemistry," said Jean-Luc Nocca, Axens' executive vice president for technological development and innovation.
According to Axens, about 60% of global butadiene output is used in the tyre industry.
SOURCE Icis News
DATE : 2013-10-31
Sterlitamak Petrochemical Plant (SPP) has launched the production of A-grade butadiene at its D-4-10 shop, expanding its product portfolio. According to SPP's chief technology officer, the production was driven by the firm's efforts to optimally utilize raw materials, enhance feedstock processing and added value and reduce the company's dependence to the synthetic rubber and raw material markets. The product, which is currently undergoing certification, will be supplied to the hydrocarbon feedstock market. Probable clients are Russian producers of solution-polymerized butadiene rubbers. The 80 tonnes of 1,3-butadiene that were initially-produced already passed quality assurance procedures. The shop is now set to raise the output to more than 1000 tonnes/m.
SOURCE RCCNews
Sterlitamak Petrochemical Plant (SPP) has launched the production of A-grade butadiene at its D-4-10 shop, expanding its product portfolio. According to SPP's chief technology officer, the production was driven by the firm's efforts to optimally utilize raw materials, enhance feedstock processing and added value and reduce the company's dependence to the synthetic rubber and raw material markets. The product, which is currently undergoing certification, will be supplied to the hydrocarbon feedstock market. Probable clients are Russian producers of solution-polymerized butadiene rubbers. The 80 tonnes of 1,3-butadiene that were initially-produced already passed quality assurance procedures. The shop is now set to raise the output to more than 1000 tonnes/m.
SOURCE RCCNews
DATE : 2013-11-07
CNOOC and Shell Perochemicals Co (CSPC), has raised run rates at its styrene monomer (SM) plant.A Polymerupdate source in China informed that run rates at the plant were increased to full capacity levels early this week. The plant was earlier running at 50% capacity levels owing to technical issues at an upstream ethylbenzene plant.Located in Guangdong province, China, the plant has an SM capacity of 700,000 mt/year and propylene capacity of 300,000 mt/year.
SOURCE PolymerUpdate
CNOOC and Shell Perochemicals Co (CSPC), has raised run rates at its styrene monomer (SM) plant.A Polymerupdate source in China informed that run rates at the plant were increased to full capacity levels early this week. The plant was earlier running at 50% capacity levels owing to technical issues at an upstream ethylbenzene plant.Located in Guangdong province, China, the plant has an SM capacity of 700,000 mt/year and propylene capacity of 300,000 mt/year.
SOURCE PolymerUpdate
DATE : 2013-11-08
Thai MMA plans to shut its 90,000 tonne/year No 2 methyl methacrylate (MMA) line in Map Ta Phut in mid-November for maintenance, company sources said on Friday.
The plant is expected to be restarted around late December, they added. Thai MMA also runs a separate 90,000 tonne/year line at the same site.
The company is a joint venture between Japan's Mitsubishi Rayon Corp (MRC) and Thailand's Siam Cement Group.
MMA is produced using a two-stage gas-phase oxidation of isobutylene to methacrylic acid, followed by esterification.
SOURCE Icis News
Thai MMA plans to shut its 90,000 tonne/year No 2 methyl methacrylate (MMA) line in Map Ta Phut in mid-November for maintenance, company sources said on Friday.
The plant is expected to be restarted around late December, they added. Thai MMA also runs a separate 90,000 tonne/year line at the same site.
The company is a joint venture between Japan's Mitsubishi Rayon Corp (MRC) and Thailand's Siam Cement Group.
MMA is produced using a two-stage gas-phase oxidation of isobutylene to methacrylic acid, followed by esterification.
SOURCE Icis News
DATE : 2013-11-08
Thailand’s PTT Asahi Chemical (PTTAC) has resumed production at its 70,000 tonne/year methyl methacrylate (MMA) plant in Map Ta Phut early this week after more than a month of shutdown, company sources said on Friday.
The plant was taken off line on 25 September because of a mechanical issue at the unit.
PTT Asahi Chemical is a joint venture of Thai oil and gas giant PTT, and Japanese firms Asahi Kasei Chemicals and Marubeni.
SOURCE Icis News
Thailand’s PTT Asahi Chemical (PTTAC) has resumed production at its 70,000 tonne/year methyl methacrylate (MMA) plant in Map Ta Phut early this week after more than a month of shutdown, company sources said on Friday.
The plant was taken off line on 25 September because of a mechanical issue at the unit.
PTT Asahi Chemical is a joint venture of Thai oil and gas giant PTT, and Japanese firms Asahi Kasei Chemicals and Marubeni.
SOURCE Icis News
DATE : 2013-11-06
Italy-based Versalis’ butadiene (BD) extraction unit in Brindisi is expected to restart this week following maintenance, a source at the chemicals producer said on Wednesday.
Maintenance at the 145,000 tonnes/year facility was originally slated to take place at the end of Augustbu was taken offline a couple of weeks earlier because of poor market conditions.
Versalis owns and operates two BD extraction units in Italy - the other is a 140,000 tonne/year unit in Ravenna, according to ICIS data.
SOURCE Icis News
Italy-based Versalis’ butadiene (BD) extraction unit in Brindisi is expected to restart this week following maintenance, a source at the chemicals producer said on Wednesday.
Maintenance at the 145,000 tonnes/year facility was originally slated to take place at the end of Augustbu was taken offline a couple of weeks earlier because of poor market conditions.
Versalis owns and operates two BD extraction units in Italy - the other is a 140,000 tonne/year unit in Ravenna, according to ICIS data.
SOURCE Icis News
DATE : 2013-11-05
German chemicals group BASF said it launched a legal challenge against the European Commission's ban of BASF's insecticide fipronil, imposed in July on concern its use as seed treatment is linked to declining bee populations.
BASF has filed legal action with the General Court of the European Union because "valid scientific studies and evidence were not properly taken into account," BASF said in a statement on Tuesday.
The European Union in July added fipronil to its blacklist of substances suspected of playing a role in declining bee populations.
The ban follows similar EU curbs imposed in April on three of the world's most widely-used pesticides, known as neonicotinoids, and reflects growing concern in Europe over a recent plunge in the population of honeybees critical to crop pollination and production.
SOURCE Reuters
German chemicals group BASF said it launched a legal challenge against the European Commission's ban of BASF's insecticide fipronil, imposed in July on concern its use as seed treatment is linked to declining bee populations.
BASF has filed legal action with the General Court of the European Union because "valid scientific studies and evidence were not properly taken into account," BASF said in a statement on Tuesday.
The European Union in July added fipronil to its blacklist of substances suspected of playing a role in declining bee populations.
The ban follows similar EU curbs imposed in April on three of the world's most widely-used pesticides, known as neonicotinoids, and reflects growing concern in Europe over a recent plunge in the population of honeybees critical to crop pollination and production.
SOURCE Reuters
DATE : 2013-11-05
SK Global Chemical Co., a chemical unit of SK Innovation Co., is considering building a new plant by 2016 in a strategic tie-up with Mitsubishi Chemical Co. of Japan, industry sources said Tuesday.
The plant to be built in Ulsan, 410 kilometers southeast of Seoul, will produce 160,000 tons of acrylic acid a year, which is used in paint, adhesive and addition agents, the sources said.
Among South Korean chemical companies, only LG Chem Ltd., the world's largest lithium-ion battery maker, can produce acrylic acid.
"It is true that we are aggressively mulling over the expansion of the petrochemical line-up, but it is difficult for us to reveal details of the projects," an official at SK Global Chemical said on condition of anonymity.
SOURCE Yonhap News
SK Global Chemical Co., a chemical unit of SK Innovation Co., is considering building a new plant by 2016 in a strategic tie-up with Mitsubishi Chemical Co. of Japan, industry sources said Tuesday.
The plant to be built in Ulsan, 410 kilometers southeast of Seoul, will produce 160,000 tons of acrylic acid a year, which is used in paint, adhesive and addition agents, the sources said.
Among South Korean chemical companies, only LG Chem Ltd., the world's largest lithium-ion battery maker, can produce acrylic acid.
"It is true that we are aggressively mulling over the expansion of the petrochemical line-up, but it is difficult for us to reveal details of the projects," an official at SK Global Chemical said on condition of anonymity.
SOURCE Yonhap News
DATE : 2013-11-01
Sanors Holding (Novokuybyshevsk, Russia) and Mitsubishi Gas Chemical (MGC) have signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) under which MGC's Natural Gas Chemical Co. will provide its license and technical support for the construction of a methyl methacrylate (MMA) plant in Russia. The 70,000-m.t./year MMA unit will be built on Sanors’ site at Novokuybyshevsk. A contract should be signed in January 2014, the companies say. Toyo Engineering will build the facility. Japan Bank for International Coopertation (Tokyo) is expected to assist with raising finance from the Japanes government to help fund the constructions of the MMA facility and of a downstream polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) unit at Novokuybyshevsk. Russian banks, including Sberbank, Gasprombank, VTB, and VEB, will also provide credit. Sanors and Maxiglas (Taipei), meanwhile, have signed heads of agreement for the latter to provide technology for the PMMA plant, which will be designed to produce 50,000 m.t./year.
Sanors agreed to purchase the process following a visit to an existing Maxiglas process PMMA plant owned by Shanghai Jing-Qi Polymer Science Co., a joint venture of Wujing Chemical Co. and US investors based at Shanghai. Wujing Chemical is part of Shanghai Huayi. Sanors and Rosneft in June signed an agreement to form a petrochemicals jv.
SOURCE Chemweek's Business Daily
Sanors Holding (Novokuybyshevsk, Russia) and Mitsubishi Gas Chemical (MGC) have signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) under which MGC's Natural Gas Chemical Co. will provide its license and technical support for the construction of a methyl methacrylate (MMA) plant in Russia. The 70,000-m.t./year MMA unit will be built on Sanors’ site at Novokuybyshevsk. A contract should be signed in January 2014, the companies say. Toyo Engineering will build the facility. Japan Bank for International Coopertation (Tokyo) is expected to assist with raising finance from the Japanes government to help fund the constructions of the MMA facility and of a downstream polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) unit at Novokuybyshevsk. Russian banks, including Sberbank, Gasprombank, VTB, and VEB, will also provide credit. Sanors and Maxiglas (Taipei), meanwhile, have signed heads of agreement for the latter to provide technology for the PMMA plant, which will be designed to produce 50,000 m.t./year.
Sanors agreed to purchase the process following a visit to an existing Maxiglas process PMMA plant owned by Shanghai Jing-Qi Polymer Science Co., a joint venture of Wujing Chemical Co. and US investors based at Shanghai. Wujing Chemical is part of Shanghai Huayi. Sanors and Rosneft in June signed an agreement to form a petrochemicals jv.
SOURCE Chemweek's Business Daily