Gazprom to increase gas exports in 2013

(hydrocarbonprocessing) -- Deputy chief executive Alexander Medvedev said the Russian company would export more gas next year than this year. A minimum of a quarter of the gas will be supplied via new contracts, he said at the launch of the South Stream pipeline project in southern Russia that will bring Russian gas to Europe.

Russian natural gas monopoly OAO Gazprom aims to increase exports in 2013, deputy chief executive Alexander Medvedev said Friday, as reported by Prime news agency.

He said the company would export more gas next year than this year, when asked by a reporter how large the company's exports would be in 2013.

Mr. Medevedev wouldn't specify the size of Gazprom's gas exports in 2012, saying he would give the figure later, the news agency reported.

A minimum of a quarter of the gas will be supplied via new contracts, he said at the launch of the South Stream pipeline project in southern Russia that will bring Russian gas to Europe.

Gazprom is the largest extractor of natural gas and one of the largest companies in the world. In 2011, the company produced 513.2 billion cubic metres (18.12 trillion cubic feet) of natural gas, amounting to 17% of worldwide gas production. In addition, Gazprom produced 32.3 million tons of crude oil and 12.1 million tons of gas condensate. Gazprom's activities accounted for 8% of Russia's gross domestic product in 2011.
The company possesses subsidiaries in many various industry sectors, including finance, media and aviation. In addition, it controls a majority of stakes in various companies.

MRC

(hydrocarbonprocessing) -- The project will use 100 million standard cubic feet/day of natural gas to produce among other products di- methyl ether (DME), which can be used in Trinidad as a replacement or blending stock for diesel and liquified petroleum gas (LPG). The target date for the first stage of the project is early 2014.

Japan-based Mitsubishi Corp. is leading a group of investors that plan to build a methanol-to-petrochemicals complex in Trinidad.

The report cited Trinidad and Tobago's energy minister Kevin Ramnarine. The consortium, which also includes Mitsubishi Gas Chemicals Co., US-based ICCL and local company Neal & Massy Holdings, will invest USD850 million in the first phase of the project.

The project will be based at a 50-hectare (123.6 acres) site near La Brea in southwestern Trinidad. The project will use 100 million standard cubic feet/day of natural gas to produce among other products di- methyl ether (DME), which can be used in Trinidad as a replacement or blending stock for diesel and liquified petroleum gas (LPG).

Ramnarine said the target date for the first stage of the project is the first quarter of 2014, though it could come as soon as the fourth quarter of 2013.

MRC

(hydrocarbonprocessing) -- Despite green-lighting the Cnooc-Nexen and Petronas-Progress deals, Canada's government also sent a clear warning signal to other state-owned enterprises, saying that any further deals for Canadian oil-sands assets would be approved only under "exceptional" circumstances.

The Canadian government late Friday approved more than USD20 billion worth of investment by foreign, government-controlled energy companies in its energy patch, but slammed the door shut on most other big deals in Canada's oil-sands developments by state-owned enterprises.

Canada approved Cnooc Ltd.'s USD15.1 billion takeover bid for oil-sands operator Nexen, clearing one of the biggest hurdles for the Beijing-based energy giant in completing what would be China Inc.'s biggest foreign acquisition.

The deal, which already has won shareholder approval, still needs US and British government sign-offs, since Nexen has significant assets in those two jurisdictions.

But Friday's decision was Cnooc's biggest - and most closely watched - obstacle. Canada long has welcomed big foreign investment to help it develop its energy and mining resources, but the Cnooc deal triggered a much broader government review because of its size and Cnooc's status as a state-owned enterprise.

Canada also said Friday it had approved the 5.18 billion Canadian dollar (USD5.23 billion) proposed deal by Malaysia's Petronas for Progress Energy. That deal was initially rejected in October, but the government at the time said it would keep the door open to a revised offer from Petronas.

Representatives at the other two companies involved weren't immediately available to comment.

MRC

(fibre2fashion) -- Assam Petrochemical is setting up either a standalone methanol plant or an integrated plant for production of methanol and acetic acid, which is expected to begin commercial production from first quarter of 2015.

According to a senior official of Assam Petrochemicals, they have already finalised the technology provider for the methanol plant. However, talks for the acetic acid technology provider are still going on.

He added, "Once the acetic acid technology provider is finalised, they would take a decision to whether set up a standalone methanol plant or an integrated plant for production of methanol and also acetic acid".

The plant is estimated to be set up at an investment of Rs 1.28 billion. Construction of the plant is expected to start from January 2013 and will complete in fourth quarter of 2014. Commercial production at the plant is expected to start in the first quarter of 2015.

The methanol plant would have a capacity of 500 tons per day and that of acetic acid will be 200 tons per day.

If the methanol plant is a standalone plant, the quantity of methanol available for sale would be 500 tons per day.

But if it is an integrated plant, the available amount of methanol for sale would be 415 tons per day as 85 tons per day of methanol, would be used in captive consumption for acetic acid production.
MRC

MOSCOW (MRC) -- In November, HDPE imports dropped to 33,900 tonnes, down 27% from October. Over the past eleven months, import volumes of HDPE to Russia made about 371,000 tonnes, according to MRC DataScope.

In November, on the back of seasonal declining demand and resumption of production at Stavrolen, HDPE imports to Russia slashed to 33,900 tonnes, down 27% from October. Imports were reduced to all the consumption sectors.

Imports of blow moulding and film HDPE fell more substantially in November. The decline in imports made 53% and 41%, respectively. Imports of pipe polyethylene dropped only by 14% and made about 16,900 tonnes.

In general, over the past eleven months, the total import volumes of HDPE to Russia made about 371,000 tonnes, up 35% year-on-year. Such a significant growth of import volumes of HDPE is largely due to a long-term outage at Stavrolen.

MRC