Saudis face growth limits over natural gas supplies

(downstreamtoday) -- A shortage of natural gas could affect future industrial growth in Saudi Arabia, according to the head of Jubail Industrial City, the world's largest petrochemical cluster.

Jubail, with a current annual production capacity of 68 million tonnes, has already embarked on an expansion that will add a further 21 million tonnes, but any further expansion will bump up against limitations in available feedstock.

"When we have finished Jubail 2, we might start with Jubail 3," said Mosleh Hamed Al Otaibi, the chief executive of the government body that oversees and develops the industrial zone. "But we haven't started with a feasibility study, because of the shortage of gas. We are really a little bit hesitant to go ahead with Jubail 3."

If it were to go ahead, construction on Jubail 3 is scheduled to begin by 2020.

MRC

(chemmonitor) -- Eastman Chemical Company with HQ in the USA decided to expand ethylene installed capacity at its Texas site.

The company will install a new furnace at the site for this purpose. It will be an Ultra Selective Conversion device.

Another US-based manufacturer, namely Shaw Group, was awarded a contract to procure its own technology for the furnace. It will also provide engineering services and equipment for the device.

The parties do not unveil financial data of the deal.
MRC

(ineos) -- INEOS Europe confirmed that it is considering strategic options for the future of its HDPE businesses at Rosignano and Sarralbe, including a divestment to interested third parties. The decision follows a recent strategy review of INEOS O&P Europe.

Rosignano (Italy) and Sarralbe (France) have been a part of INEOS since December 2005, when the company acquired the Innovene business from BP. Since that time INEOS Olefins & Polymers Europe has significantly improved the performance such that today both sites are highly "cycle-resistant" producing a sophisticated range of differentiated polymers with top quartile SHE, reliability and cost leadership of both sites. Today, both sites are profitable and cash generative.

INEOS Olefins & Polymers Europe plans to focus on the growth of its assets that are highly integrated upstream and downstream. Rosignano and Sarralbe are not integrated with INEOS feedstocks and hence are being considered for divestment; however, both have the potential to grow further in response to the increasing demand from the market for their differentiated products.

MRC

(spolchemie) -- Spolchemie is pleased to announce it's 2011 results. Spolchemie achieved sales of 5.114 billion CZK (208 million EUR) and net profit of 194 mil CZK (8 mil EUR), EBITDA was 613 mil CZK (25 mil EUR).

This is the first time in Spolchemie's history that annual revenue exceeds 5 billion CZK and 200 million Euro. Sales increased from 2010 by 16.3% and EBITDA by 8.6%.

Spolchemie is one of the leading synthetic resins manufacturers in Europe. Its product range includes epoxy resins and alkyd resins, hardeners and diluents. The copmpany is a global leader in environmental friendly synthetic resins and the first company in the world which obtain the EPD certificate for liquid epoxy resins - Green Epoxy Resin.

Besides synthetic resins it also produces other chemicals (e.g. potassium hydroxide, sodium hydroxide, allylchloride, sodium hypochlorite, perchloroethylene, hydrochloric acid, liquid chlorine).
MRC

(hydrocarbonprocessing) -- Nalco on Friday announced the construction of a new dry polymer production facility at the company's complex in Garyville, La.

The 300,000 square-foot facility will produce dry polymer products for use in removing contaminants from wastewater, increasing production efficiency in the paper industry and recovering minerals in the mining industry.

When completed late this year, the dry polymer plant will increase facility space at the Garyville complex to one million square feet and add 22 full-time positions to the company's current Garyville workforce of 235 employees.

"For more than 40 years, the Garyville community has had a significant role in the growth of Nalco, and we are extremely proud of the products and results our local employees have produced," said Jim Seifert, executive vice president of Ecolab, Nalco's parent company.

"The new dry polymer facility further strengthens our relationship with the community and the state of Louisiana, and we look forward to opening this facility and providing our customers with another innovative product solution."
MRC