BP to restore production of PTA in Alabama

(ICIS) -- BP plans to restore commercial production of purified terephthalic acid (PTA) at its sites in Decatur, Alabama, and Cooper River, South Carolina, by the end of next week, a company source said on Thursday.

BP's 1.15m tonne/year Decatur plant went down on 28 April following a storm-related power outage, while a unit at its 750-800, KTa Cooper River site did not restart on schedule after planned maintenance work.

As a result, UK-based BP declared force majeure (FM) on PTA on 28 April, imposing a supply allocation of 50%. On 1 June, this was cut to 25%.

The process of restarting the Cooper River unit should begin on 10 June, with BP estimating commercial production by 13 June.

Once the unit is operational again, it should be possible for BP to remove its 25% allocation on US PTA supply, the source said.

MRC

(BASF) -- At the Intersolar trade fair, Schott Solar and BASF are presenting a new roof-integrated photovoltaic concept based on the Schott Advance Series. The concept employs only two parts: a specially developed, multi-functional pan made from the BASF resin Ultramid B High Speed and a frameless double-glazed module from Schott. The product has been designed for large roof areas on industrial or agricultural buildings and is very light and easy to install.

The PV module from the Schott Protect Series employs proven double-glazing technology for reliable protection against rain, hail and other adverse weather conditions. To ensure safe handling of the double-glazed module, handles that are also made from Ultramid are provided on the back. This makes it easy to carry the PV module, place it on the integrated support edges of the plastic pan and simultaneously secure it at all four attachment points quickly and without the need for tools by sliding the module into the latching mechanism on the pan. Moreover, the new bayonet connection and screw-free attachment to the pan provide automatic tolerance compensation. The pan itself is stackable, thus minimizing shipping volume.

MRC

(Arabian Oil and Gas) -- Kuwait's Qurain Petrochemical Industries Company (QPIC) has decided to scrap the idea of establishing a methanol project in Algeria, and decided to set it in one of the GCC countries, according Issa Al-Issa, vice board chairman of QPIC.

⌠Instability within the management of our local partner Sonatrach doesn't help the project, Al-issa told reporters on the sideline of the general assembly of the company. ⌠It's better to re-locate the project in another GCC country, he added.

In 2007, QPIC won a USD 900m contract to establish a 1 million t/y methanol plant in Arzew, on the western coast of Algeria.

The company was a part of the Almet consortium which includes in addition to QPIC, Lurgi, Mitsui and Sotraco.

MRC

(Plastemart) -- Repsol is mulling investment at its Puertollano site in Spain to increase the production capacity of ethylene vinyl acetate copolymers (EVA). During H2-2011, the investment outlay will be towards a new production unit with capacity to produce 15 KTa of EVA, with the possibility to achieve vinyl acetate (VA) contents exceeding 35%, as per Packaging Europe.

In 2009, Repsol carried out the conversion of one of its EVA copolymer units (including 5% to 20% of VA content) to EVA resins (ranging from 20% to 40% of VA content). Additionally, in June 2010 Repsol implemented process changes in another of its EVA copolymer units, to adapt it to the quality demands of the specialized film converters. Because of this change and process improvement, Repsol has been able to reduce significantly the potential off-spec production associated to this type of film grade production.


MRC