Europe
Archer Daniels Midland to buy Polish biodiesel, rapeseed oil firm Elstar
Global agribusiness major Archer Daniels Midland expanded its oilseed processing, food manufacturing and biodiesel capabilities by agreeing to buy a majority share of Elstar Oils S.A. A Warsaw-listed company, Elstar is a leading Polish manufacturer of quality refined vegetable oils and fats for the food industry, and biodiesel for the energy market.
Hestya Energy to buy German refinery, related assets from ConocoPhillips
Hestya Energy B.V. has signed an agreement to purchase the Wilhelmshaven oil refinery, tank farm and marine terminal in Germany from an affiliate of ConocoPhillips. Hestya will then restart the refinery, which has been mothballed for about two years.
India's JBF plans new PET plant at BP Belgium site
India-based joint venture JBF RAK has entered into an agreement with BP to build a new 390,000 tpy polyethylene terephthalate (PET) production unit at BP’s petrochemical site in Geel, Belgium. The agreements provide JBF rights to build and operate this PET unit on BP’s existing petrochemicals complex in Geel, adjacent to BP’s world-class purified terephthalic acid (PTA) facility.
Dow to produce stadium wrap for London Olympics
Olympic partner Dow Chemical will produce a sustainable, fabric wrap that will encircle London’s Olympic Stadium during the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games, home to several athletic events, and the opening and closing ceremonies. The wrap will comprise 336 individual panels – each approximately 25 meters high and 2.5 meters wide - and will help the stadium become the visual centerpiece of the London 2012 Games, according to Olympic officials.
Dow to build plants for polyolefin encapsulant films in Thailand, Germany
Dow Chemical will build two new manufacturing plants in 2012 for its ENLIGHT polyolefin encapsulant films, with one in Map Ta Phut, Thailand, and another in Schkopau, Germany. Together, these sites will more than triple capacity for making specialty films used in photovoltaic modules, and will significantly expand Dow’s ability to supply encapsulant films worldwide, the company said.
Oil demand, prices to rise in Q3 - Ernst & Young
Oil demand and prices should continue to rise in the third quarter of 2011 according to indicators, even with ongoing uncertainty with respect to the economic recovery, deficit reduction initiatives in the US and the debt crisis in Europe, according to a quarterly outlook from Ernst & Young.
Control-valve seat leakage
Enhancing initial performance, extending service life of valves offers benefits
Avoid failures with pump power-end upgrades
Designing-out maintenance and failure risk starts with simple upgrading measures, culminates in re-thinking entire bearing housing configuration
Consider life-cycle costs in specifying control valves
Latest approach improves sizing valves while also incorporating total ownership investment
Use a new calibration method for gas pipelines
An advanced method improves calibrating orifice flowmeters while reducing maintenance costs
- UPM unlocks new bio-based markets as Leuna biorefinery produces its first commercial product 12/19
- Stamicarbon awarded technology licensing contract for new urea plant in Eastern China 12/19
- Ford takes $19.5-B writedown on EV business 12/19
- Babcock & Wilcox awarded $40-MM contract for advanced wet gas scrubbing technology at Canadian petroleum refinery 12/19
- Aarti Industries secures methanol and toluene feedstock supply through multiple long-term contracts 12/19
- bp picks first outsider CEO Meg O'Neill after abrupt Auchincloss exit 12/19
