Total developed innovative technology for bio-ethylene production

MOSCOW (MRC) -- Total, Europe’s third-largest oil company, in cooperation with IFP Energies nouvelles (IFPEN) and its affiliate Axens, has developed Atol, a technology for the most profitable production of polymer grade bio-ethylene by dehydration of 1G and 2G-renewable ethanol, as per Plastemart.

Within this cooperation, Total developed a high performance catalyst formulation at its research Center in Feluy, Belgium, IFPEN scaled up catalyst performance within a heat recovery innovative process while Axens industrialized the catalyst formulation and finalized the process scheme with particular focus on energy-efficiency. Total and IFPEN are the co-owners of the technology and Axens is now in charge of commercializing Atol by providing all process licensing related services and catalyst manufacturing.

Atol is believed to be the most advanced dehydration technology and features the highest profitability as a result of:
Lower Capex by simplified product purification brought on by the outstanding performances of the ATO 201 catalyst which exhibits a high activity and selectivity towards ethylene.

The bio-ethylene produced can be integrated in existing downstream polymerization installations such as polyethylene (PE), polystyrene (PS), polyethyleneteraphthalate (PET), polyvinylchloride (PVC) and acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene (ABS) without need for modifications.

Atol is the first of a series of technologies, for the production of other olefinic monomers by processing bio-derived higher alcohols, to be developed in parallel based on Atol’s technology platform.

"We are very excited about this efficient and competitive technology that will be able to meet a growing demand for plastics based on renewable raw-materials. This offer is in line with our strategy to become a leading company in the field of technology for bio-based production of Motor Fuels and Chemicals", said Christian Dupraz, Axens Senior Executive Vice-President Process Licensing.

As MRC informed earlier, Total intends to invest EUR160m before 2016 to adapt its petrochemical platform in Carling, in the Lorraine region of eastern France, and to restore its competitiveness. Total plans indeed to develop new activities on the platform in the growing markets for hydrocarbon resins (Cray Valley) and for polymers, while shutting down the acutely loss-making steam cracker in the second half of 2015.

Total S.A. is a French multinational oil and gas company and one of the six "Supermajor" oil companies in the world with business in Europe, the United States, the Middle East and Asia. The company's petrochemical products cover two main groups: base chemicals and the consumer polymers (polyethylene, polypropylene and polystyrene) that are derived from them.
MRC

MOSCOW (MRC) -- Qatofin is in plans to shut a linear low density polyethylene (LLDPE) plant for maintenance turnaround, as per Apic-online.

A Polymerupdate source in Qatar informed that the plant is planned to be shut in mid-April 2014. It is likely to remain off-stream for around one month.

Located at Mesaieed, Qatar, the plant has a production capacity of 450,000 mt/year.

As MRC informed previously, last year, Qatar Chemical and Petrochemical Marketing and Distribution Company (Muntajat) took over the marketing and distribution responsibilities for Qatar’s globally recognised Lotrene brand of low density polyethylene (LDPE) and LLDPE. Muntajat has the mandate to export Qatar’s 10 million tonnes/year of chemicals and petrochemicals to markets worldwide.

In Qatar, LDPE and LLDPE are produced by Qatar Petrochemical Company (Qapco) and Qatofin respectively, and these high-quality products are being sold to more than 4,500 customers worldwide under the brand name Lotrene.

Qatar’s chemical and petrochemical industry’s planned investments will further increase the country’s export portfolio to 23 million tonnes per year by 2020, from 10 million tonnes in 2013, according to Muntajat CEO Abdulrahman Ali Al-Abdulla's statement.
MRC

MOSCOW (MRC) -- LANXESS inaugurated its new high-tech plastics plant in Porto Feliz, Brazil, according to the companie's press-release.

The specialty chemicals company has invested around EUR20 million (Real62 million) in the facility, which will initially have an annual capacity of 20,000 metric tons.

The new plant is supporting above all the growing demand toward products for the megatrend mobility in Latin America. For example in Brazil, the fourth largest automotive market globally, a governmental program called Inovar-Auto has been implemented in early 2013. It offers fiscal incentives for OEMs that strengthen their production as well as their investments in research and development in Brazil and produce cars which are more energy efficient. With the new facility, LANXESS is able to meet the local demand for high-tech plastics used in the automotive sector more quickly and more efficiently.

In the new compounding plant, the basic polymers polyamide (PA) and polybutylene terephthalate (PBT) are mixed and refined with special additives and glass fiber, according to client requirements, to make the high-tech plastic product lines Durethan and Pocan. These innovative materials are used for the manufacturing of much lighter parts, which can replace metal components in vehicles, thus helping to reduce fuel consumption and CO2 emissions. With these materials, the automotive industry as well as suppliers can cut production costs significantly, increase freedom of design and improve safety. Due to their excellent properties, both plastics have a wide variety of applications, such as door handles, bumpers, front ends, cable connectors, cooling pipes, among others.

Since 2012, LANXESS has been greatly expanding its global production network for high-tech plastics. In Antwerp, Belgium, the company is currently completing a new plant for polyamide plastics. The world-scale facility is designed for an annual capacity of 90,000 metric tons and scheduled to start operation in the third quarter of 2014.

LANXESS is a leading specialty chemicals company with sales of EUR 8.3 billion in 2013 and roughly 17,300 employees in 31 countries. The company is currently represented at 52 production sites worldwide. The core business of LANXESS is the development, manufacturing and marketing of plastics, rubber, intermediates and specialty chemicals.
MRC

MOSCOW (MRC) -- Iran's West Ethylene Pipeline (WEP) is to become operational by March next year, said Zawya, citing managing-director of Petrochemical Industries Development Company.

Majid Mahmoudian said the pipeline will then carry feedstock to petrochemical plants. "The WEP is being completed rapidly," the official said, adding that the project will come on-stream if the necessary finance is provided.

Mahmoudian said the project has been delayed in recent years due to certain problems. The construction of the pipeline was first adopted in 2002 when Bijan Namdar Zanganeh was serving as petroleum minister. The entire pipeline stretches from Assaluyeh in southern Iran to West Azarbaijan Province in northwestern Iran.

Kavian Petrochemical Plant will convert ethane received from South Pars to ethylene to be injected into West Ethylene Pipeline. Eleven provinces and 14 petrochemical plants are located on the route of the pipeline.

The 14 petrochemical plants are either operational or under construction with an investment of USD8.5 billion.

The eleven provinces include Fars, Khuzestan, Lorestan, Kohguiluyeh Boyer Ahmad, Chahar Mahal va Bakhtiari, Kurdstan, Kermanshah, Ilam, Hamedan, East Azarbaijan and West Azarbaijan.

The pipeline is known to be the longest ethylene transfer pipeline in the world.
MRC

MOSCOW (MRC) - Total imports of suspension polyvinyl chloride (SPVC) to Russia decreased by 59% in the first three months of 2014 on the back of the weaker demand, according to MRC DataScope.

Russia's SPVC imports in March increased to 19,200 tonnes, compared with 14,300 tonnes in February. In general, total volume of external supplies of SPVC into Russia was reduced to 45,000 tonnes in Q1 2014, compared with 110,000 tonnes in the same period in 2013. The main reason for the sharp decline in imports was weak demand and the devaluation of the Russian rouble.

Geography of import deliveries in the first quarter of 2014 looked as follows. Leaders in SPVC imports remained US producers. Imports volumes of US SPVC in March decreased to 5,500 tonnes, compared with 6,400 tonnes delivered in February. Russia's imports of US SPVC declined to 17,700 tonnes in Q1 20014, down 68% compared to the same period in 2013.
The second largest supplier of SPVC to Russia was China. March imports of Chinese acetylene PVC to Russia rose more than twofold to 7,100 tonnes, compared to February's level 3,100 tonnes. Russia's imports of Chinese acetylene resin fell to 11,800 tonnes in the first three months of 2014, from 44,200 tonnes year on year.

Russia's imports of European PVC was about 4,400 tonnes in March. Imports of European resin to the Russian market reached 10,200 tonnes in Q1 2014, compared with 6,900 tonnes year on year.
MRC