Sibur subsidiary optimises PP output

(Plasteurope) -- With the installation of a new titanium-magnesium catalyser, Tomskneftekhim has modernised its PP production and simultaneously increased by 20% the capacity of its line to 130,000 t/y. PP quality has improved thanls to the new catalysers, especially with regard to material yellowring and the range of different types available, works manager Sergei Merzlyakov said at a conference held in Tomsk in mid-April. The main target market of the new and improved PP manufactured by this Sibur subsidiary is the automotive sector.

On 28 April, Tomskneftekhim reported that it has started up a new bagging and palletising facility, where the LDPE produced by its existing 230,000 t/y line is bagged for export. In future, the new PP output will be bagged here as well. The company said the first 40-60 bags of LDPE, each weighing 25 kg, were on route to Bulgaria. Some 60% of output was earmarked for export in 2009. The previously unpacked material mostly had gone to customers in Latvia and Lithuania. Since the new facility now allowed to to supply properly packaged materials, Tomskneftekhim hopes to increase its European export destinations.

MRC

MRC Reference

Sibur Holding is the largest Russian petrochemical group.

Shareholders:
Gazprombank (70% minus 1 share);
Gazfond (25% plus 1 share);
5% reserved for option program.

The share in the Russian market in 2008:

polyethylene - 11.1%;

polypropylene - 16% (including PP-random - 11.2%);
ABS - 5.2%;
PVC - 8.1%.

Shell's largest integrated petrochemicals hub comes onstream in Singapore

(plastemart) -- Royal Dutch Shell's largest integrated petrochemicals manufacturing hub including a new cracker at the refinery on Bukom Island and other Shell facilities on Jurong Island, has come onstream in Singapore. With this new capacity, Shell will be in a better position to serve the Asian market and also spur a new wave of high-value downstream investments in the chemical industry.


The company has planned a capacity revamp that will enable Shell to operate its Singapore oil refinery at 500,000 bpd. Along with the two new units, the revamped existing ones will widen feedstock choices for its new ethylene cracker.


The cracker has the options to use a range of feedstock other than naphtha like liquefied petroleum gas and heavy liquid hydrocarbon such as hydrowax. A high vacuum unit has been added to provide feedstock to the refinery's hydrocracker that will produce hydrowax for the new ethylene cracker. Shell has also built a new sulphur-recovery unit which allows the refinery to process more sour crude. The project also includes a 750,000 tpa monoethylene glycol (MEG) unit on nearby Jurong island which started up in December 2009.

MRC


Inauguration of RLOC 1.3 mln tpa ethylene cracker

(plastemart) -- Ras Laffan Olefins Company Limited (RLOC) has officially inaugurated a state-of-the-art 1.3 mln tpa ethylene cracker facility, built at an investment outlay of US$800 mln. By using the latest Chevron Phillips proprietary loop slurry technology, the plant has capacity to produce 36,000 tpa Sulphur, 500,000 tpa Ethylene, 453,000 tpa high density Polyethylenes (HDPE) and 47,000 tpa 1-Hexene. RLOC is a joint venture between Qatar Chemical Company II Ltd (Q-Chem II) which holds a 53.31% stake, Qatofin Company Ltd holding 45.69% stake and QP with a 1% stake. 700,000 tpa and 600,000 tpa respectively, of ethylene produced will be transported via a 133-kilometre pipeline to Q-Chem II and Qatofin downstream derivatives units in Mesaieed.


Capacity is planned to be increased to 1.6 mln tpa in the second phase, making the facility the largest of its kind in the world.

MRC

Sinopec-SABIC JV to use Dow process for EO/EG plant in Tianjin

(plastemart) -- Sinopec, SABIC JV in China; Sinopec-SABIC (Tianjin) Petrochemical Co., Ltd (SSTPC) is using METEOR process technology from Dow Chemical Co. to produce ethylene oxide (EO) / ethylene glycol (EG) at its recently started Sinopec Tianjin complex - the largest single EO reactor in China. METEOR EO/EG process uses a single-reactor design and a unique EO catalyst, which combines both high activity and high selectivity to offer an efficient route to EO/EG production. Commercialised in 1994, the technology is said to allow manufacturers to produce ethylene oxide and ethylene glycol with fewer steps, less equipment and smaller plot size.

MRC

MRC Reference

Sabic. The share in the Russian market in 2008:
PE - 0.2%;
PP - 0.4%;
PS - 0.2%.

Annual sales growth in Russia over the last 5 years:
PE - 33%;
PP - 62%.

Chemtura completes sale of PVC additives business

(chemie.de) -- Chemtura Corporation, debtor-in-possession, completed the sale of its PVC Additives business to Galata Chemicals ("Galata") on April 30, 2010 for cash consideration of $16.2 million and the assumption by Galata of certain liabilities, including certain pension obligations and environmental liabilities. Advertisement


"This divestiture was the best way for us to maximize the value of the PVC Additives business and is in the best interests of Chemtura and of the business itself," said Craig A. Rogerson, Chairman, President and CEO of Chemtura. "It is part of our plan to focus on maximizing the total value of our portfolio of businesses as we continue working to strengthen the Company and position it for long-term success."



Galata is a partnership between Aterian Investment Partners, a New York-based private equity firm, and Artek Surfin Chemicals Ltd., a Mumbai, India, family-owned company whose business includes textiles, metal finishing and chemicals.



As previously disclosed, the sale is the result of an auction pursuant to Section 363 of the Bankruptcy Code involving a number of qualified bidders held in February 2010 in New York under the auspices of the U.S. Bankruptcy Court. This is a customary process for companies selling businesses or assets while operating in Chapter 11. The sale includes Chemtura's ownership interest in Chemtura Vinyl Additives GmbH and certain assets used in the manufacture and distribution of PVC additives.



The transaction will provide all full-time employees of the PVC Additives business with the opportunity to continue in their current positions under new ownership.

MRC