Petrochemicals
GE to provide technologies in Egypt for greenfield petrochemicals project
GE and Carbon Holdings signed a $500 million agreement to provide technology and equity support to Tahrir Petrochemicals' greenfield naphtha cracker and olefins complex project in Ain Sokhna, Egypt.
Brazil’s Odebrecht mulls new ethane cracker, PE complex in West Virginia
The complex, named the Ascent — Appalachian Shale Cracker Enterprise, would include the ethane cracker, three polyethylene plants, and infrastructure for water treatment and energy co-generation.
Sinopec to upgrade two China petrochemical plants with Honeywell automation
Honeywell's Profit Suite R400 process optimization software will be deployed at two ethylene-cracking facilities, helping to improve plant performance by increasing energy efficiency, improving flexibility of its operations, and maximizing the plants' overall yield of high-value products.
Shell nears agreement with Iraq to build $11-billion petrochemicals complex
The plan to move forward on a petrochemical plant follows a meeting in Baghdad between Shell CEO Peter Voser and Iraqi Prime Minster Nouri al-Maliki. The Iraq government said after the meeting that it will soon sign a "heads of agreement", in which both sides will commit to early planning for the project.
Honeywell taps Jacobs as project manager for new chemicals site in China
Jacobs is providing services such as basic and detailed design, permitting, project controls, quality, HSE management, procurement, and construction management services, with the option to provide commissioning as required. The plant should start up in the fourth quarter of 2014.
Johnson Matthey expands Macedonia plant for emission control catalysts
The new plant will provide Johnson Matthey with additional capacity for catalysts to meet the increase in demand from the introduction of tighter EU emissions legislation coming into effect from January 2014.
BP touts new technologies for ethanol-to-ethylene, syngas-to-acetic acid
SaaBre’s breakthrough technology is a process for the conversion of synthesis gas―carbon monoxide (CO) and hydrogen derived from hydrocarbons such as natural gas―directly to acetic acid in a proprietary, integrated three-step process that avoids the need to purify CO or purchase methanol.
Jacobs looks to acquire Chinese firm Suzhou Han Chemical Engineering
Suzhou Han Chemical Engineering has two specialty Class A design licenses in China’s chemical, petrochemical and pharmaceutical industry, which allow the firm to provide engineering design, procurement and project management services for all chemical and petrochemical projects in China.
Chevron Phillips moves ahead on Texas olefins expansion after study
The capacity expansion is targeting a 20% minimum increase in a phased approach. Final project approval will be sought in the first quarter of 2014. Construction would be targeted to commence in the first quarter of 2014, and the project would be completed in the second quarter of 2015.
Celanese mulls closure of VAM, acetic anhydride units in Spain, France
Celanese said Monday that it will begin discussions concerning the possible closure of both the acetic anhydride facility in Roussillon and the VAM production unit in Tarragona. These actions were initiated to safeguard the competitiveness of the Celanese acetyl business, according to the company.
- Industry collaboration brings new insights on corrosion under insulation 7/1
- IMI secures major contract to supply wireless vibration monitoring solution in Omani refinery 7/1
- KBR, ReVentas partner to scale polymer dissolution technology to recycle polyethylene and polypropylene 7/1
- Yara to reallocate capital from abandoned $2.9-B Louisiana Clean Energy complex project 7/1
- Schneider Electric to acquire Cognite in $3.1-B all cash deal 7/1
- BASF and Carlyle complete coating transaction, an enterprise value of €7.7 billion 7/1

