Europe
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.
EU emissions program threatened by falling prices
Europe's flagship effort to limit greenhouse-gas emissions faces an existential threat as the price of emissions has fallen dramatically, eroding an incentive for industries to pollute less and forcing policy makers to weigh environmental priorities against economic concerns.
Russia's SIBUR establishes polypropylene trading groups in Turkey, Ukraine
The new trading arms will enhance SIBUR’s flexibility in adjusting to clients’ needs, give the company extra competitive edge in strategic markets, and increase sales through access to end consumers, according to the company. Turkey is one of the global leaders for polypropylene consumption.
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.
BP report warned of terrorism risk in Algeria, Africa
The reports, which were seen by The Wall Street Journal, anticipate the emergence of groups like the one that launched a deadly attack against the plant in In Amenas, Algeria, which BP operates in a joint venture with Algerian state-oil company Sonatrach and Norway's Statoil.
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.
IEA lowers forecast for global oil demand growth, warns of China slowdown
In its closely-watched monthly report on the oil market, the watchdog agency cut its oil demand growth forecasts for the coming year by a marginal 90,000 bpd, but warned that recent signs of recovery in the global oil demand could be the result of one-off factors, rather than sustained improvement.
Exxon, Rosneft mull LNG plant in Russian Far East
ExxonMobil and Rosneft began their alliance in 2011. The companies are planning to conduct a feasibility study on constructing an LNG plant on the island of Sakhalin off Russia's Pacific coast. Rosneft is lobbying to be allowed to export LNG, which currently only OAO Gazprom is permitted to do by law.
Honeywell to supply process control systems for Kirishi refinery in Russia
Experion PKS will help to optimize production processes by providing the tight integration of production subsystems as well as safety, industrial security and advanced control systems, enabling plant operators to work more effectively and make more informed decisions, according to the companies.
- European Commission unveils plan to drop ICE ban in the EU 12/18
- U.S. EPA expects to finalize biofuel rules in first quarter of 2026 12/18
- German cabinet approves draft biofuels law, food-based ingredient use to continue 12/18
- NextChem opens new plastic upcycling plant in Italy 12/18
- Ineos' Sir Jim Ratcliffe calls on Europe's politicians to take immediate action to protect the European chemical industry 12/18
- MB Energy expands aviation fuel supply to airlines at Copenhagen Airport 12/18
