Shell and Qatar Petroleum ink deal on scope of petrochemical hub

(Plasteurope) -- Almost one year after Shell and Qatar Petroleum inked a memorandum of understanding to study the development of a massive petrochemical complex in Ras Laffan/Qatar. The two players announced that they had taken their cooperation to the next level. At the beginning of December 2011, Qatari energy minister Mohammed bin Saleh Al-Sada signed an agreement with Shell CEO Peter Voser outlining the scope and commercial principles of the proposed petrochemical hub.


Specifically, the Ras Laffan complex - of which Shell will control 20% and Qatar Petroleum the remaining 80% of shares - is to include a world-scale steam cracker, fed by natural gas sourced in Qatar, as well as a 1.5m t/y mono-ethylene glycol (MEG) plant using Shell's "Omega" technology and a 300,000 t/y linear alpha olefins line, powered by Shell's higher olefin process (SHOP). Once operational, most of the hub's output is to go towards the growing Asian markets.


Specifically, the Ras Laffan complex - of which Shell will control 20% and Qatar Petroleum the remaining 80% of shares - is to include a world-scale steam cracker, fed by natural gas sourced in Qatar, as well as a 1.5m t/y mono-ethylene glycol (MEG) plant using Shell's "Omega" technology and a 300,000 t/y linear alpha olefins line, powered by Shell's higher olefin process (SHOP). Once operational, most of the hub's output is to go towards the growing Asian markets.


Welcoming the progression, Al-Sada said, "This critical petrochemicals project fits well with Qatar's strategy to strengthen and further diversify its growing chemicals industry and represents an important milestone on our journey to becoming a significant global petrochemicals producer."


MRC

BASF increases prices for ethylamines in Europe

(BASF) -- With immediate effect, BASF is increasing its European sales prices for ethylamines as follows: monoethylamine (MEA 70%) + EUR 30 per metric ton, diethylamine (DEA) + EUR60 per metric ton, triethylamine (TEA) + EUR70 per metric ton.


The price increase will also apply to current supply agreements as soon as and to the extent permitted by their terms and conditions.


Ethylamines are starting materials for the production of various intermediates that are used, for example, in the agrochemical and pharmaceutical industries.

MRC

Cereplast new resin grades received DIN CERTCO certifications of compostability

(Cereplast) -- Cereplast, Inc, a leading manufacturer of proprietary biobased, compostable and sustainable plastics, today announced that their three new resin grades, Compostable 3002, Compostable 3010, and Compostable 3020, have received DIN CERTCO certifications of compostability. These new resin grades provide superior properties and are for use on blown film extruder lines for the manufacture of compostable bags.


Compostable 3002, Compostable 3010, and Compostable 3020 can substitute polyethylene for carry bag and trash bag applications, and provide a range of thickness, tear resistance and stretch. These materials, which consist of Ingeo PLA and other compostable components, provide excellent processability, good tear resistance and reduced stretch under load when compared to the competition.

All three resins are DIN CERTCO certified to be compostable up to 1.0 mil (0.0254 mm) thick. DIN CERTCO is the most prominent institute for standardization in Germany, and is highly regarded world-wide. DIN CERTCO is one of two certifying bodies recognized by EU Bioplastics for the certification of bioplastics, a requirement for selling compostable resin in Europe.


Cereplast, Inc. designs and manufactures proprietary biobased, sustainable plastics which are used as substitutes for traditional plastics in all major converting processes - such as injection molding, thermoforming, blow molding and extrusions - at a pricing structure that is competitive with traditional plastics.


MRC

The German inge GmbH launched an innovative software tool

(BASF) -- The German company inge GmbH - widely regarded as the global leader in the field of ultrafiltration technology - hundred percent owned by BASF and part of its Water Solutions business - has launched an innovative software tool to accompany the ultrafiltration modules and membranes developed and produced in-house. Known as inge System Design' and developed by inge's own researchers, the software program speeds up the process of designing professional ultrafiltration systems.
The new software developed by inge offers customers some outstanding features that are not available in any conventional products - for example enabling users to calculate the quantities of chemicals and energy required by the system and adapt the metering pump design to the water quality and the desired target pH value.


This provides the flexibility to tailor the system to the customer's individual needs. Programmed in Visual Basic, ⌠inge System Design is extremely user-friendly, making it the perfect tool for project design and plant construction.


MRC

Asia naphtha sees price uptrend as Formosa buying re-emerges

(ICIS) -- Asia's naphtha prices are likely to stage an uptrend until late January, supported by strong spot buying from dominant importer Taiwan and trading companies which helped to mop up voluminous deep-sea inflows for next month, traders said on Friday.


The naphtha inter-month spread widened USD1/tonne (EUR0.77/tonne) to USD7.50/tonne in backwardation, while the prompt naphtha crack spread strengthened to near USD100/tonne against Brent crude futures.


"The market is heading for a hike and this will be the case until the Lunar New Year," said a trader.
The Lunar New Year takes place on 23-24 January 2012. "The trading companies have rushed to buy lots of spot cargoes for January. The huge arbitrage volume for January has already been absorbed into the market," the trader added.


Asia is expected to receive half a million tonnes of arbitrage European naphtha next month, and the fact that the cargoes were placed swiftly reflected strong regional demand, traders said.
Taiwan's Formosa Petrochemical Corporation (FPCC) bought on Thursday 150,000 tonnes of spot naphtha for second-half January delivery, its first spot purchases since August and after lifting run rates at its three crackers to 85-86% from 80-85% previously.


The cargoes were transacted at a premium of USD3.00-3.50/tonne to Japan quotes CFR (cost and freight). FPCC ceased spot naphtha imports from August to mid-December because of cracker shutdown issues.


Demand from FPCC is expected to remain strong in the first half of next year, because the company has scheduled to shut its 700,000 tonne/year No 1 cracker at Mailiao for a 40-45 day turnaround in August 2012.


Meanwhile, the South Korean crackers paid higher naphtha premiums this week for spot transactions for second half of January delivery, traders said.


MRC