Northeast US refiners scale back production as Hurricane Sandy strikes

(hydrocarbonprocessing) -- Analysts estimate that about two-thirds of refining capacity along the US east coast has been shut down because of Sandy, a Category 1 hurricane expected to make landfall late Monday in the Northeast.

PBF Energy is operating its refineries in the northeast at reduced rates, the company said Monday, the latest refiner to scale back operations as Hurricane Sandy approaches the east coast.

PBF is reducing rates at a 180,000 bpd refinery in Paulsboro, N.J., and a 190,000 bpdrefinery in Delaware City, Del., would be at reduced rates but fully staffed during the hurricane, the company said.

The drop in production has so far had little effect on retail prices, however, because short-term demand is expected to virtually disappear as drivers stay home and flights are cancelled.

About 6.5% of total US refining capacity is near the region in Sandy's forecast path, according to the US Energy Information Administration.

On Sunday, Phillips 66 began shutting down its Bayway refinery in Linden, N.J., and the company said it expects the refinery to be completely idle by Monday. Phillips 66 fuel terminals in Riverhead, N.Y. and Tremley Point, N.J. have already been shut.

Philadelphia Energy, which operates a former Sunoco Inc. refinery in Philadelphia after buying a majority stake in September, was discussing reducing rates of some production units at the 330,000 bpd refinery, a person familiar with the refinery said.

MRC

(plastech) -- PolyOne Corporation has announced that injection molder and assembler FKD B.V. has replaced metal components in sailboat rigging blocks with polymer solutions from PolyOne.

FKD manufactures rigging blocks in various colors and dimensions to fit many types of sailboats. These redesigned blocks help FKD differentiate itself in the marketplace with components that enhance the sailing experience by saving weight, eliminating corrosion, and reducing maintenance.

PolyOne worked with FKD to identify four polymer solutions for the various parts of these blocks. The completely assembled blocks make use of the special properties of OnForce LFT long-fiber reinforced polymer, two formulations of LubriOne wear-resistant polymer, and Bergamid reinforced polyamide.

It is worth mentioning that this is a world-wide tendency to replace metal parts of automobiles, planes, boats and other machines where metal is used by lighter, not less stronger, anticorrosive and saving weight polymers. Thus, Styron has recently unveiled the first full-thermoplastic, mono-material lift-gate ever produced in series on a commercial vehicle featured in the New Renault Clio, as MRC informed earlier.

PolyOne Corporation is a global provider of specialized polymer materials, services, and solutions. PolyOne is a provider of specialized polymer materials, services and solutions with operations in specialty polymer formulations, color and additive systems, polymer distribution and specialty vinyl resins.
MRC

(BASF) --BASF has inked agreement with TenCate Advanced Composites to cooperate on the development, production and commercialization of thermoplastic composite materials suitable for high-volume vehicle production.

The main goal of this partnership is to offer car manufacturers custom-engineered solutions for high-performance composite structures, which enable this industry to further reduce weight and carbon dioxide emission.

Compared to metal parts, fiber reinforced plastic composites can be 30 to 50 % lighter. Thermoplastic composites help car manufacturers economize on the fuel consumption of automobiles and enable the industry to safe costs. Due to the ease of thermoplastic processing, these advanced materials will dramatically reduce production cycle times, have no limitations in shelf life and can be recycled. Thus mass production becomes accessible. Target applications are semi-structural parts as well as primary structures in car bodies and chassis.

TenCate Advanced Composites has a leading market position in continuous fiber reinforced thermoplastic composites with the TenCate Cetex product portfolio, currently mainly used for aircraft structures and interiors. At present new aircraft such as the Airbus A380, A350 and Boeing 787 are the main users of such material.

BASF is the leading chemical company. It produces a wide range of chemicals, for example solvents, amines, resins, glues, electronic-grade chemicals, industrial gases, basic petrochemicals and inorganic chemicals. The most important customers for this segment are the pharmaceutical, construction, textile and automotive industries.

The growing need of the automotive industry for composite materials used in mass production calls for a rapid development of materials and manufacturing processes. By combining the capabilities of both BASF and TenCate in automotive composite solutions, the required developments will be accelerated.
MRC

MOSCOW (MRC) -- Over the past nine months SPVC supplies to the Russian market slashed by 7% and made about 729,200 tonnes. The decline in shipments mainly accounted for import, according to MRC DataScope.

The total year-to-date volumes of SPVC supplies to the Russian market from the local makers, as well as from foreign suppliers, decreased by 7% year-on-year and made 729,200 tonnes. The decline of the resin supplies to the Russian market was due to the reduction of import volumes.

This year, Russian makers increased suspension PVC output by 8% to 426,500 tonnes, while export over the past three years was sporadic and insignificant. Over the past nine months, imports fell by 23% and made about 302,800 tonnes.

The decline in SPVC import volumes to the Russian market took place in the first half of the year following cold weather conditions of February and March and, as a result, very low demand for the finished goods from PVC as well as carryover stocks both of Russian makers and traders.

According to some market participants, by 1 January, 2012, total PVC stock inventories of Russian makers and traders made not less than 45,000-50,000 tonnes.

MRC

MOSCOW (MRC) -- In September, imports of PVC to China reduced to 76,800 tonnes, from August – 98,700 tonnes. Year-to-date total imports of PVC to China amounted to 730,000 tonnes, according to the MRC DataScope.

After the surge in August, PVC imports to the Chinese market began to decline. Last month, the total import volume of PVC to China decreased by 22% from August and amounted to 76,800 tonnes.
Imports of all resin grades were reduced, with an exception of Japanese makers.

Over the nine months of this year, the total imports of PVC to China fell by 4% year on year and made about 730,000 tonnes.

This year, out of the top three exporting countries Taiwan and the US makers were able to increase the supplies of PVC.
Imports from these countries in January - September of the current year amounted to 271,700 and 241,800 tonnes respectively, up by 17% and 20% compared to the same period a year ago. Japanese makers, on the contrary, have cut their supply by 42% to 125,700 tonnes.


MRC