MOSCOW (MRC) -- "Angarsk polymer plant" (part of Rosneft, Angarsk) resumed polyethylene (PE) production after a long outage for maintenance, according to MRC Price report.
On Tuesday, 10 September, "Angarsk polymer plant" resumed production of low density polyethylene (LDPE) after a 50-day shutdow for a scheduled turnaround.
The plant's annual PE production capacity is 77,000 tonnes. The overall LDPE output totalled 25,200 tonnes in seven months of 2013.
Angarsk Polymer Plant was established in 1974 as part of PO "Angarsknefteorgsintez" (now OAO "ANhK") in Angarsk. Prior to September 23, 1997, the company was called as "Polymer Plant OAO ANhK", and from 1 October of 1997, the polymer plant was withdrawn from the structure of "ANhK" and transformed into an independent subsidiary OAO "Angarsk polymer plant." Since 10 May, 2007, "Angarsk polymer plant" has been part of the "NK" Rosneft ".
MRC
MOSCOW (MRC) -- SIBUR announces the arrival of its first new gas carrier, Sibur Voronezh, at Ust-Luga seaport. The vessel will ship cooled liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) from the company's Baltic Sea terminal on a regular and year-round basis, according to the company's press release.
SIBUR will operate the carrier under a long-term charter agreement with Sovcomflot Group. The carrier was built by Korea-based Hyundai Mipo Dockyard Co. Ltd. The ship has already covered 12,000 nautical miles in 40 days on its journey from the Korean shipyard, where it set-off for Ust-Luga in late July.
The gas carrier is moored for test loading at SIBUR's new terminal as part of its start-up and commissioning programme. Once loading in Ust-Luga seaport has been completed, the carrier will head for Sweden on an LPG delivery.
A naming ceremony for Sibur Voronezh and SIBUR’s other new LPG carrier, Sibur Tobol, took place at Hyundai Mipo Dockyard’s shipyard on 4 July 2013. The gas carriers were named after the Russian Voronezh and Tobol rivers which flow through regions where SIBUR has its operations. Sibur Tobol, is expected to arrive at Ust-Luga in November 2013.
Both gas carriers were designed to SIBUR's specific requirements using the latest shipbuilding technology and in partnership with experts from Sovcomflot Group.
As MRC reported earlier, in the first quarter of 2013, SIBUR's gas processing plants (GPPs) processed 4.9 billion cubic metres of associated petroleum gas (APG), an increase of 5.3% year-on-year. As a result, production of natural gas rose 4.2% year-on-year to 4.2 billion cubic meters. Raw natural gas liquids (NGL) production increased by 12% year-on-year to 1.3 million tonnes. In the first quarter of 2013, the company's natural gas sales volumes increased by 26.7% year-on-year to 3.5 billion cubic meters. External sales of natural gas liquids, which comprise liquefied petroleum gases (LPG), naphtha and raw NGL, rose 11.7% year-on-year to 1.1 million tonnes.
SIBUR is a uniquely positioned vertically integrated gas processing and petrochemicals company. The company owns and operates Russiaэs largest gas processing business in terms of associated petroleum gas processing volumes and are a leader in the Russian petrochemicals industry. As of 31 March 2013, SIBUR operated 27 production sites across Russia and employed over 30,000 personnel. SIBUR serve over 1,500 large customers operating in the energy, automotive, construction, fast moving consumer goods (FMCG), chemical and other industries in approximately 60 countries.
MRC
MOSCOW (MRC) -- Arkema, a France-based chemical manufacturer, has announced that it is moving forward with the construction of a 1234yf LGWP refrigerant gas production plant with an anticipated start-up in 2016, according to the company's press release.
Forane 1234yf refrigerant gas will serve the future needs and satisfy regulations in the global automotive mobile air conditioning industry.
As background, the EU Mobile Air Conditioning Directive bans the use of refrigerants with a Global Warming Potential greater than 150 in new type-approved vehicles manufactured as of January 2013 and in all new vehicles sold in Europe as of January, 2017. Over the past several months, studies conducted by the SAE (Society of Automotive Engineers) have re-confirmed the safe use of 1234yf, effectively reinforcing the EC’s Directive calling for the phase out of the current refrigerant, R134a.
As a leading supplier of refrigerants to the automotive market, Arkema’s position has been that car manufacturers have not been given a sufficiently clear view on the availability and supply conditions for 1234yf, and this has limited progress to convert to the next generation refrigerant. With this investment, the company’s goal is to restore confidence across the automotive sector in 1234yf and Arkema takes this opportunity to assure the automotive industry that 1234yf will be available in commercial quantities to meet the phase down of R134a.
Arkema is executing a two phase strategy based on proprietary technology: this first phase, based in Asia, is a project capable of supplying the emerging needs for 1234yf and a second phase investment in Europe with the objective to fully replace R134a after 2017.
As MRC informed previously, Arkema has selected SpecialChem's Commercial Acceleration Solutions to support the global growth of its water-based fluoropolymer Kynar Aquatec latex in the exterior building and construction markets.
Arkema is a leading European supplier of chlorochemicals and PVC. Kynar and Kynar Flex are registered trademarks of Arkema Inc. With operations in more than 40 countries, some 14,000 employees and 10 research centers, Arkema generates annual revenue of EUR6.4 billion. Moody's Investors Service had upgraded Arkema S.A.'s senior unsecured rating to Baa2 from Baa3. The outlook on the rating was changed to stable from positive.
MRC