Petrochemicals
Clariant to build catalyst R&D center in Shanghai
The R&D center is expected to begin operation by 2015 with the goal of developing catalytic solutions tailored to Chinese market requirements and enhancing technical service support to local customers.
US chemical activity barometer continues uptrend
Measured on a three-month moving average (3MMA), the ACC Chemical Activity Barometer's 0.5% gain beat the average first quarter monthly gains of 0.3%.
Phillips 66 buys specialty lubricants firm Spectrum
"The acquisition of Spectrum complements our strong-performing Lubricants business by increasing our access to specialized global lubricants markets and is in line with our strategy to selectively grow our marketing and specialties segment," said Tim Taylor, president of Phillips 66.
Europe to raise annual chemical output in 2014
European chemicals output will grow by 2.0% this year, driven by rising demand from customer industries, particularly car-makers, and some stabilization in the construction industry.
ExxonMobil Chemical starts construction of US ethane cracking project
The Baytown steam cracker will have capacity of 1.5 million tpy and provide ethylene feedstock for downstream chemical processing, including two new polyethylene (PE) lines.
Chevron Phillips breaks ground on new Texas polyethylene projects
The construction of the new plants in Old Ocean, Texas, includes two world-scale polyethylene units that will each produce 500,000 tpy of plastic resin for Chevron Phillips Chemical.
NOVA Chemicals begins Bakken Shale ethane use
“The introduction of Bakken Shale-based ethane into the feedstock diet at Joffre marks an important milestone in the diversification of our ethane sources for the region and our NOVA 2020 strategy to capitalize on North American demand,” said Todd Karran, acting CEO for NOVA Chemicals.
C3 Petrochemicals wins GHG permit from EPA for Texas PDH project
The plant will convert propane to propylene. The PDH process will use a continuous catalytic regenerator that does not use combustion or steam and results in lower GHG emissions.
UOP to license TPC Group process technology for on-purpose butadiene
The two companies will immediately begin working together to license TPC Group's proprietary OXO-D technology, which has been successfully operated for more than 40 years.
Chevron Phillips Chemical starts up world’s largest plant for 1-hexene
With worldwide supply capabilities, the 1-hexene unit is capable of producing 250,000 tpy and is expected to enjoy significant advantages in infrastructure, feedstock availability and operational knowledge by its placement in the existing Cedar Bayou chemical complex in Baytown, Texas.
- Australia’s biggest LNG plants suffer outages due to cyclone, straining global supply 3/27
- Iran war chokes petrochemical supply, sends plastic prices soaring 3/27
- Stockholm Exergi taps Inprocess to deliver advanced process simulator for BECCS project 3/27
- Japan to relax rules from April to boost coal-fired power amid LNG import risks 3/27
- Velan releases upgrades to its delayed coker isolation valves 3/27
- AFPM: ‘Baffling’ final RFS will break cost records. In fact, it already is 3/27
