Nord Stream mulls expansion for Russia-to-Europe gas pipeline system

(hydrocarbonprocessing) -- Nord Stream, the consortium that operates a natural gas pipeline that ships Russian gas to western Europe via the Baltic Sea, said over the weekend it is considering further expanding the pipeline.

In a written statement, the consortium, led by Russian gas monopoly Gazprom, said its shareholders have asked the company to conduct "a feasibility study" into possible options to further increase capacities.

"Over the next eight months, Nord Stream will make an assessment of various criteria of up to two potential additional pipelines, including technical solutions, route alternatives, environment and financing," the company said.

It didn't say by how much the expansion could increase gas shipping capacity.

A Nord Stream spokesman said the exact amount of the possible capacity expansion will be determined in the feasibility study.

"We will look at how much additional gas will be needed in northwestern Europe in the coming decades" and make a decision accordingly, the spokesman said.
MRC

(Reuters) - A tanker carrying crude oil is heading for Britain's Coryton refinery, trade sources and ship tracking data showed on Tuesday, just as a deal to keep the plant running after the collapse of its owner Petroplus expires.

It was not clear whether the shipment, due to reach the refinery on Tuesday afternoon, was under the expiring three-month deal to supply the plant, or part of a new arrangement to keep the refinery operating.

"We are working on a number of options and in the interest of not destabilising anything we are not commenting at all," said Steven Pearson, a PwC administrator looking after the refinery.

Last month, Coryton's administrator said the fate of the refinery would be decided by mid-May when the current oil supply deal expired.
MRC

(plasteurope) -- Nova Chemicals (Calgary, Alberta/Canada) spokesperson said the group's PS production line in Monaca, Pennsylvania / USA would not be part of PFB Corporation's (Calgary, Alberta / Canada) planned takeover of Nova's Performance Styrenics business.

The deal will only include Nova's EPS activities at Monaca, as well as its EPS plant in Painesville, Ohio / USA. Nova's "Upes" polystyrene line in Pennsylvania will become part of the group's PE business unit, the spokesperson added.

MRC

(chemmonitor) -- Lanxess with headquarters in Germany managed to finalize the first quarter of the current year with positive and even strong financial results despite existing macroeconomic concerns and instability.

For instance, company's net profit through the quarter is estimated at EUR 193 million.

The figure is over 15.8 percent higher than the one in the same period of 2011. First quarter sales total EUR 2.4 million, showing a rise by 15.2 percent year on year.

MRC

(chemmonitor) -- The Brussels-headquartered Belgium company Solvay S.A. unveiled its financial results of January-March 2012.

The company's REBITDA dropped by about 9% year on year, in Q1 2012, and demonstrated a 47% hike, if compared to October-December 2011.

Solvay?s net sales from January through March reached about EUR 3.2 million. The figure rose by 8.1% year on year and by around 3%, as opposed to Q1 of the last year.

The Belgium chemical company showed a snug increase in its business through Q1, 2012.

MRC