In Russia pipe HDPE price down in July

MOSCOW (MRC) -- In July, Russian pipe polyethylene (PE) keeps on cheapening on low sales of PE pipes, as per ICIS-MRC Price report.

The first half of the year was rather difficult for Russian producers of PE pipes. Low demand for PE-pipes was accompanied with steadily increasing prices of feedstock. By mid-June, prices of pipe HDPE had been corrected in the domestic market, but it didn't result in significant increase of demand for finished PE-pipes.

July isn't marked with growing buying activity in the pipe market. Moreover, this year demand for PE pipes for the gas pipeline has reduced considerably. A share of gas pipes in some producers'output doesn't not exceed 10% in total.

There are no problems with the availability of raw pipe material in the market. This year Russian producers have increased production of colored pipe PE80 and PE100 up to 106 KT (excluding overall production of 273- 83 PE), uncolored PE100 (so-called uncoloured matrix) to 70 KT. The increase in production of uncoloured pipe HDPE and significant price difference between colored and uncolored PE100 determine the preferences of Russian converters in the use of uncoloured material.

This week price offer for the Russian colored PE100 has been reduced to RUB 63.000 - 64.500/t, including VAT, FCA Kazan. Uncoloured PE100 is offered, on average, for RUB 56.500 - 57.000/t, including VAT, FCA Nizhnekamsk Salavat.

MRC

(Lukoil) -- Lukoil Overseas (a wholly-owned subsidiary of Lukoil) has acquired from the private company Oranto Petroleum Ltd a 49% stake in the Petroleum Agreement for SL-5-11 Offshore Block in the Republic of Sierra Leone (West Africa). The mandatory exploration program within the framework of the Agreement provides for the drilling of one exploration well before 2013.

The SL-5-11 offshore block with an area of 4,022 sq. km is located in the territorial waters of the Republic of Sierra Leone on the shelf and continental slope of the Atlantic Ocean. The water depth within the Block territory varies from 100 m to 3.3 km. 2D and 3D seismic surveys have been conducted at the block, revealing several promising structures. The block is part of the Sierra Leone - Liberia geological basin, where a number of major oil fields have been discovered during the last two years, thus proving its potential productivity.

MRC

(ICIS) -- Sherwin-Williams's second-quarter net income fell 1.4% year on year to USD 179.1 mln (EUR 125.4 mln), partly due to high raw material costs, the US-based paint and coatings firm said on Thursday.

Sherwin-Williams' sales for the three months ended 30 June were USD 2.36bn, up 9.9% year on year. Gross profit was USD 1.02bn, up 5.2% from the 2010 second quarter. However, the gross profit/sales ratio fell to 43.4%, from 45.4% in the 2010 second quarter. Selling, general and administrative expenses rose rose 9.3% year on year to USD 756m.

"Earnings in the quarter were at the low end of our guidance range due to high raw material costs versus the timing of our price increases, said CEO Christopher Connor.


MRC

(BASF) -- Professor Tobias Ritter of Harvard University receives BASF Catalysis Award 2011
International experts from academia and industry guesting at ⌠Heidelberg Forum of Molecular Catalysis.


For his outstanding research contributions to catalytic processes in organic synthesis, Professor Dr. Tobias Ritter of Harvard University in Cambridge (USA) is receiving the BASF Catalysis Award 2011. The prize, worth EUR 10.000, will be presented today by Dr. Friedrich Seitz, Head of BASF's Technology Platform Chemicals Research & Engineering, at the ⌠Heidelberg Forum of Molecular Catalysis, a symposium of international experts organized jointly by Heidelberg University, Collaborative Research Center 623 ⌠Molecular Catalysts and BASF SE.


With his research group centered at Harvard University, Professor Ritter is working in the field of synthetic organic and organometallic chemistry and, specifically, on the synthesis of complex molecules. Mechanistic studies are ongoing to develop practical access to molecules of interest in catalysis, medicine and for new materials.


The prizewinner and his research team are currently focusing on fluorination chemistry of complex compounds under mild reaction conditions. This is because organic fluorine compounds, compared to compounds of other halogens, are difficult to synthesize in a controlled manner. However, these substances are of major interest: medical professionals use them for imaging techniques such as positron emission tomography (PET).


MRC

(ICIS) -- AkzoNobel's net income fell by 1.8% in the second quarter because of raw material price inflation, low demand in mature markets and prolonged production outages, the Netherlands-headquartered chemicals major said on Thursday.

Net income decreased to EUR 268 mln (USD 383 mln) from EUR 273 mln in the same period last year. ⌠The results of the first quarter do not satisfy us at all, CEO Hans Wijers said during the company's earnings press conference.

According to AkzoNobel's report for the second quarter of 2011, raw material costs increased by 20%, which had a major impact on the company's three business areas: decorative paints, performance coatings and specialty chemicals.

Wijers said the strong euro against other currencies, volatility in certain end markets - particularly in mature economies - and prolonged production outages have worsened the economic difficulties facing the firm.

As a result, second-quarter earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) were down by 10%, to EUR 551m from EUR 614m in the previous year's quarter.


MRC