The Downstream Rundown: 5/13
In case you missed any downstream news, this piece will give you a summary of some of the top stories from last week.
ConocoPhillips plans $1.1 B investment as Norway oil sector heats up
Known as Eldfisk North, the development is part of the wider Ekofisk area, where ConocoPhillips has pumped hydrocarbons for more than 50 years. The U.S. operator said the new reserves are expected to come on stream in 2024.
The Eldfisk North reservoir contains mostly oil and some gas and is estimated to hold between 50 MM and 90 MM barrels of oil equivalent, ConocoPhillips said.
Tecam has been awarded a new environmental technology project in Eastern Europe
Tecam announced that it has been awarded a new project for the treatment of volatile organic compounds (VOC) and odors emissions derived from the wastewater treatment plant within a refinery in Eastern Europe.
Under the terms of the agreement, Tecam will supply this refinery with regenerative thermal oxidizer (RTO) equipment, which is the most optimal solution after analyzing the technical requirements of the customer, taking into account the air flow to be treated and the nature and characteristics of the gases emitted. This RTO system is expected to eliminate 99.9% of the polluting VOC emissions in the refinery.
Neste and United sign SAF purchase agreement for flights out of Amsterdam Airport Schiphol
Neste and United Airlines announced that they have signed a new purchase agreement that provides United the right to buy up to 160,000 mtons (52.5 MM gallons) of Neste MY SAF over the next three years to fuel United flights at Amsterdam Airport Schiphol, and potentially other airports, as well. With this agreement, United became the first U.S. airline to make an international purchase agreement for SAF.
China's private refiner Shenghong starts trial operation
China's private refiner Shenghong Petrochemical, a subsidiary of textile giant Shenghong Group, has started trial operation at its greenfield refining complex in east China, industry sources said on Tuesday.
The refining complex, with a daily crude oil processing capacity of 320,000 barrels, was initially scheduled to begin operating in late 2021.
Shenghong, based in Lianyungang port of Jiangsu province, will be one of the two major greenfield refineries expected to start up this year.
Air Liquide, Lhoist join forces to launch a first-of-its-kind decarbonization project
Air Liquide and Lhoist have signed a MoU with the aim to decarbonize Lhoist’s lime production plant located in Réty, in the Hauts-de-France region, using Air Liquide’s innovative and proprietary Cryocap carbon capture technology. In this context, Air Liquide and Lhoist have jointly applied for the European Innovation Fund large scale support scheme. This partnership is a new step in the creation of a low-carbon industrial ecosystem in the broader Dunkirk area.
Lime is one of the hard-to-abate industries as its production primarily generates CO2 from decomposition of limestone. The “Chaux et Dolomies du Boulonnais” Lhoist’s site in Réty is France’s largest lime production plant. Thanks to this project, Lhoist would be able to reduce the CO2 emissions of the plant in Réty by more than 600,000 tpy starting in 2028. This is equivalent to the annual emissions of about 55,000 households in France.
Siemens deploys artificial intelligence at Baltics’ newest, most energy efficient data center
Siemens has deployed integrated data center management software at the largest and most energy efficient data center in the Baltic region. The building management software, the energy and power management software and the White Space Cooling Optimization (WSCO) help Greenergy Data Centers to lower energy usage, ensure thermal protection and manage reliable operation of the critical infrastructure.
The new 14,500 m2 data center in Tallinn, Estonia, runs on renewable energy and is the first of three such facilities, contributing to boosting the Baltic region’s e-commerce and digital societies. Providing the operational technology control platform of the new data center is Desigo CC, an integrated building management platform from Siemens Smart Infrastructure which connects and controls critical and non-critical building systems. Desigo CC gives operators at the data center a single pane of glass from which to visualize, monitor, control and optimize critical building management systems, energy performance and the WSCO.
Phillips 66 makes FID to convert San Francisco refinery into a renewable fuels facility
Phillips 66 made an FID to move forward with Rodeo Renewed, the project to convert its San Francisco Refinery in Rodeo, California, into one of the world’s largest renewable fuels facilities. The project, which recently received approval from Contra Costa County, is expected to cost approximately $850 MM and begin commercial operations in the first quarter of 2024.
“Rodeo Renewed stands to play a major role in helping us lower our carbon footprint as we continue to provide reliable, affordable energy,” said Greg Garland, Chairman and CEO of Phillips 66. “This is a project that will help meet growing demand for lower-carbon fuels, preserve jobs and support California in achieving its climate goals. It is a great example of how Phillips 66 is making meaningful investments in a sustainable energy future that can create long-term value for our shareholders.”
TA'ZIZ and Reliance partner with UAE’s Shaheen on $2 B chemicals project in Ruwais
TA’ZIZ announced that Shaheen will join the proposed TA’ZIZ and Reliance Industries Limited TA'ZIZ EDC & PVC joint venture, that will construct and operate a world-scale Chlor-Alkali, EDC and PVC facility, at the TA’ZIZ Industrial Chemicals Zone, in Ruwais.
The TA’ZIZ Industrial Chemicals Zone is a joint venture between ADNOC and ADQ. With an investment of more than $2 B (AED7.34 B), the project will supply local manufacturers, replacing chemicals currently imported, while also exporting to meet growing demand for these chemicals globally.
BASF and BMW rely on renewable raw materials for automotive coatings
The BMW Group is the first carmaker to place its trust in more sustainable automotive OEM coatings certified according to BASF’s biomass balance approach. The BMW Group has chosen to use BASF Coatings’ CathoGuard 800 ReSource e-coat at its plants in Leipzig, Germany, and Rosslyn, South Africa, and the iGloss matt ReSource clearcoat throughout Europe.
Using these more sustainable product versions for vehicle coatings enables CO2 avoidance of around 40% per coating layer; this will reduce the amount of CO2 emitted in the plants by more than 15,000 metric tons by 2030.
Braskem taps Terra Circular to form plastic recycling JV
Brazilian petrochemical producer Braskem said on Thursday it had formed a joint venture with Terra Circular aiming to convert low-quality plastic waste into final products.
Netherlands-based Terra Circular will provide the JV all the shares in its subsidiary ER Plastics, which has a capacity to recycle 23,000 tons of plastic waste per year.
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