DATE : 2015-01-18
South Korea’s Lotte Chemical will shut its 150,000 tonne/year butadiene extraction unit at Daesan for one week in January for maintenance, a company source said on Monday.
“The BD unit at Daesan will shut from 20 to 27 January for maintenance,” the source said.
The company’s other 130,000 tonne/year BD unit in Yeosu will run at full rate during this period, the source added.
SOURCE Icis News
DATE : 2015-01-16
From an research perspective, the drive to build high-density batteries for electric vehicles is just starting. Sure, research on better batteries has been going on for years, but until the last year or two the electric-vehicle market was so small that universities, much less large battery manufacturers, didn't see it as a priority.
That's why Tesla Motors essentially stuffed a bunch of computer batteries into a car -- it was the best option available. A decade or two from now we may look back on the lithium ion-fueled Model S as a stepping stone to a more electrified world, one that is powered by the next generation of battery technology.
Research that could make lithium ion batteries obsolete
Scientists at the University of Waterloo in Ontario announced this week that they have made a breakthrough in lithium-sulfur battery technology that could increase an EVs range by 3 times with the same weight and a lower cost. Essentially, sulfur would be a good battery cathode material because, along with increasing energy density, it is abundant, light, and cheap. So finding materials that make the battery's construction possible would be a breakthrough.
Lithium-sulfur technology is far from production, but if it lives up to expectations we could see a Model S with a range of nearly 900 miles or a Nissan Leaf that could go 250 miles on a single charge, without a bigger battery.
More technologies that could advance EVs
Lithium-sulfer is not the only technology being tested to improve battery performance. Dozens of research institutes and large companies are beginning to work on batteries given the large market potential. Here are a few technologies that have shown promise in the laboratory.
- Metal-air cells could hypothetically increase the energy density of an EV battery while also lowering costs.
- Flow batteries are essentially rechargeable fuel cells that have shown promise. So far, though, they have proven to be too complex for mass production and have a lower energy density than lithium-ion batteries today.
- Lithium-air is a technology IBM is working on in an effort to provide electric vehicles with a 500-mile range. Even if successful the company doesn't expect to see commercial applications before 2020.
- Lithium silicon polymer is a concept the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory has been developing to improve energy density in lithium-based cells by adding a specially designed polymer to the cell's anode.
If even just one of these technologies, or other corresponding battery efforts, succeeds, it could be a windfall for the company that can successfully commercialize that big advancement in battery technology.
The most important question for EV makers to answer
Electric vehicles have made huge advancements over the last five years, but they still need better batteries to go mainstream. A 50-mile range is enough to attract die-hard EV enthusiasts, but a 500-mile range would appeal to nearly everyone.
If researchers can figure out a way to pack 500 miles worth of energy into an electric vehicle, and to ensure it could be charged overnight, the industry's growth could explode.
The missing link is the technology that makes a longer-range vehicle possible. Given the capital flowing into research and development, I think it's only a matter of time before batteries take a major step forward. And I, for one, hope one (or more) of these technologies make a future filled with electric vehicles possible.
SOURCE The Motley Fool
Date: January 14, 2015
Continuing unplanned production shutdowns will help European styrene prices maintain a strong premium over benzene into 2015, even as outright prices for both materials decrease on the spot market as a result of lower upstream energy market prices.
In the second half of 2014, styrene's spot premium to benzene — its main feedstock alongside ethylene — averaged $290/t and reached a high of $540/t in November. That is a sharp change from the first half of the year when the premium sank close to $100/t and averaged $220/t.
The explosion and subsequent shutdown of the Ellba 550,000 t/yr styrene unit at Moerdijk in June gave an initial lift to styrene prices but the market remained relatively well supplied until Shell's 450,000 t/yr styrene unit at the same site shut down in October because of a steam leak affecting the entire site. Planned maintenance at the 550,000 t/yr BASF styrene unit in Ludwigshafen, in November and December, tightened supply further.
After hitting the November peak, the styrene to benzene premium retreated with the help of US spot imports as the arbitrage widened. US imports rose to average around 50,000 t/month in the second half of the year, from 40,000 t/month in the first half. The spot arbitrage closed in December as the impact of falling feedstock prices left traders unwilling to take the risk on further price declines, but is expected to reopen in the first quarter to cover European production shortfalls and stronger demand as buyers' ability to defer orders waiting for styrene prices to find a floor is reduced.
The Shell Moerdijk unit restarted on December 18, but the larger Ellba unit will not restart until at least the second half of 2015, helping to maintain European styrene at a relatively strong $300/t premium to benzene for the first six months of the year.
European styrene demand is expected to start 2015 strong, with market participants restocking following the end-of-year reduction of inventories. In addition, many will also be replenishing stock after sluggish demand through November and December as downstream producers reduced output while waiting for styrene prices to reach a floor.
Demand in February is expected to be somewhat quieter than January, with much of the restocking completed, but is due to rise again by March in preparation for the spring turnaround season with at least one styrene unit in the Netherlands down in March.
Source: Dewiit website
DATE : 2015-01-13
Japanese chemical manufacturer Nippon Shokubai has announced it stopped manufacturing activities at its Suita Plant, located in the city of Suita, at the end of 2014. Opened in 1943, the Suita Plant produced phthalic anhydride, maleic anhydride, unsaturated polyester resin, acrylic resin for paint and adhesives and fine particle products. The company intends to build a new research and development facility at the site to strengthen its R&D operations .Production capacity at the Suita plant decreased as a result of the transfer of Nippon Shokubai's unsaturated polyester resin business to Japan Composite, a joint-venture between the company and Mitsui Chemicals. The company said the proliferation of residences surrounding the plant also created difficult conditions for continuing production.
Due to these circumstances, the company proceeded to transfer production from the Suita Plant to its other manufacturing facilities, finally ending production operations at the plant.
The company's new R&D facility, scheduled to be completed in 2016, is designed to quickly and efficiently take idea creation to the next stage of incubation. According to the company, the new R&D centre will actively promote open innovation, as well as accelerate the development of new products needed to drive its growth. In October 2014, the company announced plans to expand its production capacity of superabsorbent polymers (SAP) by building a new SAP plant at its existing plant in Himeji, Japan.The expansion aims to meet the huge demand for SAP, which is mainly used for disposable personal hygiene products, such as baby diapers, adult protective underwear and sanitary napkins.
SOURCE Emerging Markets Business Information News
DATE : 2015-01-13
SK Global Chemical (SKGC) has no plans to restart operations at its styrene monomer (SM) plant in 2015.
A Polymerupdate source in South Korea informed that the decision to keep the plant shut has been attributed to weak margins for the product. The plant has been under a shutdown since August 2014.
Located at Ulsan in South Korea, the plant has a product capacity of 350,000 mt/year.
SOURCE PolymerUpdate
DATE : 2015-01-09
Styrindo Mono Indonesia (SMI) is likely to restart its No 2 styrene monomer (SM) plant following an unexpected shutdown.
A Polymerupdate source in Indonesia informed that No 2 SM plant is planned to be restarted next week. It was shut in end-December 2014 owing to the closure of a 600,000 cracker at the site operated by Chandra Asri.
Located at Merak in Indonesia, the No 1 SM plant has a capacity of 100,000 mt and No 2 SM plant has a capacity of 250,000 mt/year.
SOURCE PolymerUpdate
DATE : 2015-01-10
DSM is in plans to shut its acrylonitrile (ACN) plant for maintenance turnaround.
A Polymerupdate source in the Netherlands informed that the plant will be shut in May 2015. It is likely to remain off-stream for around one month.
Located at Geleen in the Netherlands, the plant has a production capacity of 275,000 mt/year.
SOURCE PolymerUpdate
DATE : 2015-01-08
Formosa Chemicals & Fibre Corp (FCFC) has restarted its No. 1 styrene monomer (SM) plant.
A Polymerupdate source in Taiwan informed that the No.1 plant restarted around one week back. It was shut in mid-December 2014 on account of weak market conditions.
Located at Mailiao in Taiwan, the plant has a production capacity of 250,000 mt/year.
SOURCE PolymerUpdate
DATE : 2015-01-05
Lucite International is in plans to shut its methyl methacrylate (MMA) plant for maintenance turnaround.
A Polymerupdate source in China informed that the plant is likely to be shut early this week. The duration of the shutdown could not be ascertained.
Located in Shanghai, China, the plant has a production capacity of 100,000 mt/year.
SOURCE PolymerUpdate
DATE : 2014-01-06
Showa Denko is in plans to shut its vinyl acetate monomer (VAM) plant for maintenance turnaround.
A Polymerupdate source in Japan informed that the plant will be shut in March 2015. It is planned to remain off-stream for around one month.
Located at Oita in Japan, the plant has a production capacity of 175,000 mt/year.
SOURCE PolymerUpdate
DATE : 2015-01-06
Monsanto Company announced today an agreement to extend the relationship with FMC Agricultural Solutions which will benefit corn, cotton and soybean growers through Roundup Ready PLUS® Crop Management Solutions. This agreement broadens the Roundup Ready PLUS Crop Management Solutions relationship to include Hero® insecticide.
Monsanto's Roundup Ready PLUS platform empowers farmers to maximize the performance of their Roundup Ready® crops through local research-supported crop management recommendations.Monsanto's relationship with FMC began in the fall of 2010 with the inception of Roundup Ready PLUS Weed Management Solutions. For the 2015 growing season, Roundup Ready PLUS® Weed Management Solutions has evolved beyond weed management to become Roundup Ready PLUS Crop Management Solutions. Today, Monsanto and its partners continue to develop effective, economical and sustainable approaches to controlling tough-to-control and glyphosate-resistant weeds, as well as insects and diseases.
FMC herbicides that will continue to be endorsed under the agreement include the Authority® brand of soybean pre-emergence residual herbicides: Authority® Assist, Authority® First, Authority® Maxx, Authority® MTZ and Authority® XL.
Hero insecticide is a powerful combination of two pyrethroid-based insecticides with complimentary activity against 45 labeled insects that other products may miss. Some of those insects include kudzu bug, aphids and mites on soybeans, as well as brown marmorated stinkbug on soybeans and some corn hybrids.
Hero insecticide is an effective tank-mix partner with fungicides, post-herbicides and foliar fertilizers and offers a broad -spectrum and increased length of control on multi-pest complexes common in corn, soybeans and cotton, as well as more than 80 labeled crops.
“The relationship with FMC Agricultural Solutions helps us ensure that growers have an additional tool for crop management that allows their crops to thrive,” said Chris Reat, Roundup Ready PLUS marketing manager at Monsanto. “By enhancing the Roundup Ready PLUS platform with Hero® insecticide, we are ensuring corn, soybean and cotton growers have access to an excellent product for managing insects and protecting crop yield”.
“We look forward to extending the Roundup Ready PLUS portfolio to include insecticides for corn, soybean and cotton growers, and continuing this strong relationship with FMC so that we can continue to provide the highest industry standard solutions for growers' bottom-line benefits,” Reat said.
SOURCE Benziga
DATE : 2015-01-06
Iran styrene monomer (SM) producer Pars Petrochemical has shut its 600,000 tonne/year plant in Asaluyeh on 1 January because of a technical issue, a source close to the company said on Tuesday.
The technical glitch is expected to be resolved soon and the plant is scheduled to be restarted next week, the source added.
Pars Petrochemical is a unit of state-owned National Petrochemical Corp (NPC).
Other SM producers include SABIC and Chevron Phillips in Saudi Arabia and The Kuwait Styrene Co.
SOURCE Icis News
DATE : 2015-01-05
German chemicals producer Evonik said Monday it plants to make an extra 165,000 mt a year of MTBE available to the European market in the second quarter.
Evonik said it aims to start using its increased MTBE capacity at Marl in Germany and Antwerp in Belgium in Q2.
The company's butadiene capacity in Antwerp is also set to increase by 100,000 mt/year.
"We aim to go on stream with 165,000 mt MTBE (in Marl and Antwerp) and 100,000 mt butadiene [in Antwerp] in the second quarter of 2015," a company spokesman said.
In January 2013, Evonik announced that it would expand its production facilities in Marl and Antwerp to strengthen its position in the market for C4-based products.
Current European MTBE capacity is estimated at roughly 5.8 million mt/year, meaning that Evonik will increase European capacity by almost 3%.
SOURCE Platts Commodity News
DATE : 2015-01-05
Asia styrene monomer (SM) market looks uncertain going into the new year after prices slumped below $900/tonne in the first half of December, a level not seen since May 2009.
The fall in energy futures over the past few months caused petrochemical prices to fall.
Subsequently SM tumbled from $1,510/tonne CFR (cost & freight) China in September to below $900/tonne CFR China in December.
Trade in Asia has thinned out after the precipitous fall in prices.
Market players have become increasingly concerned about the ability and willingness of counterparties to perform recently closed deals.
Hence market participants have chosen to stay on the sidelines fearing volatility while traders are preferring not to add on positions.
“The market is very uncertain now and most traders are not putting on new positions,” said a trader in Singapore.
Market players expect the uncertainty as well as the prevailing muted trade to extend into the first quarter of this year.
“It will take some time for market players to regain confidence to re-enter the market; also traders have to sort out previously concluded deals as they fear some parties might become financially not viable after the price plunge,” said a broker in South Korea.
Demand for SM from the downstream styrenic resins sector continued to wane amid the year-end lull season.
Most resins buyers had completed production requirements for 2014 and have decided to hold low inventories.
Resin traders expected users to replenish some resin stocks in late December and January, ahead of the Lunar New Year holidays in February. However, they do not expect a significant increase in demand for resins.
“Most resin producers are trimming output due to weak demand, hence consumption of SM is likely to stay weak into the first quarter,” said a resin producer in Taiwan.
With economic malaise continuing to grip major economies like China, the Eurozone and Russia, coupled with unrest in Ukraine and the Middle East, international trade is expected to be increasingly challenged.
Consequently, demand for Asia made goods from the Eurozone and the US could stay soft in 2015.
“Deflationary pressures are increasingly globally and Chinese exports of finished goods remained weaker than previous years,” said a major moulder in southern China.
Chinese moulders catering to the export markets continued to report weaker than expected orders for finished goods.
Most anticipate order inflows for finished goods to stay flat in 2015 given the weak global economic expansion.
SM is a liquid chemical used to make plastic resins like polystyrene (PS) and acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene (ABS) as well as synthetic rubbers like styrene-butadiene-rubber (SBR) and styrene-butadiene-latex (SBL).
SOURCE Icis News
DATE : 2014-12-29
The supply of acrylonitrile (ACN) in Asia is expected to tighten in the first quarter of 2015 because of the heavy turnarounds at regional producers, and this will put a cap on the downtrend in prices, sources said.
Several Asian producers will shut down plants in the coming months for scheduled maintenance, which may put a stop to falling ACN prices, sources said.
China-based ACN producer, Anqing Petrochemical, plans to shut its 80,000 tonne/year line at Anqing in Anhui province for maintenance, a company source said.
The maintenance starting in January will last for about 20 days, resulting in a loss of about 5,000 tonnes of ACN, the source added.
Elsewhere, China’s Shanghai SECCO Petrochemical plan to shuthttp://www.icis.com/Articles/2014/11/19/9839775/Chinas-Shanghai-SECCO-Petrochemi cal-to-shut-ACN-unit-in-Jan.htmlits 260,000 tonne/year ACN unit in Jinshan in early January 2015 for a month, a company source said.
Taiwan’s Formosa Plastics Corp (FPC) is also expected to shut its 280,000 tonne/year ACN plant in Mailiao for scheduled maintenance, a company source said.
The plant is going to be shut in the first half of January, and the shutdown will last around three weeks to one month, the source said.
South Korea's Taekwang Petrochemical is expected to shuthttp://www.icis.com/Articles/2014/12/16/9846811/s-koreas-taekwang-petrochemical- to-shut-acn-plant-for-maintenance.htmlits 290,000 tonne/year ACN plant for scheduled maintenance from 25 February to 16 March, a company source said.
Presently, falling feedstock costs and new capacity start-ups in China has dragged ACN prices down to $1,800-1,920/tonne CFR NE Asia, sources said.
China’s Shandong Keluer Chemical Co is running its new 130,000 tonne/year plant in Dongying at around 60%, a company source said. The company, which is a joint venture between Sinopec and Wanda Petrochemical Group, started trial runs at the unit in late November.
On the feedstock front, Asia propylene prices fell to $570-660/tonne CFR NE Asia, and this has boosted the profits of ACN producers given the wide price gap between propylene and ACN.
However, most market participants said ACN price decline may slow down or even rebound in the first quarter amid the limited supply, sources said. “I think ACN prices may recover in January and February as the supply in China is limited, ” a regional trader said. The ACN supply-demand balance will tilt tight in the first quarter, but the tightness will ease from the second quarter because of the increasing new supply from China, sources said.
China’s Shanghai SECCO Petrochemical plans to start up its new 260,000 tonne/year ACN plant in the second quarter, a company source said.
“China’s imports in 2015 will definitely be reduced in line with the rising supply in domestic market,” a market player said. China imported 461,901 tonnes of ACN in the first eleven months, official data showed.
SOURCE Icis News