Zhejiang Weibo shuts down its DOP plant in China

MOSCOW (MRC) -- China's Zhejiang Weibo Chemicals has shut down its dioctyl phthalate (DOP) plant for a maintenance turnaround, as per Apic-online.

A Polymerupdate source in China informed that the plant was planned to be shut on July 2, 2014. The duration of the closure could not be ascertained.

Located at Jiaxing in Zhejiang province of China, the plant has a production capacity of 100,000 mt/year.

We remind that, as MRC reported before, Zhejiang Weibo Chemical shut down its 100,000 tpa DOP plant for a brief turnaround in August 2013. The reason behind the plant’s closure could not be ascertained.

Another Chinese DOP producer Dongying Yimeide restarted its dioctyl phthalate (DOP) plant in early August 2013. It was shut for a maintenance turnaround. Located in Shandong province, China, the plant has a production capacity of 100,000 mt/year.
MRC

MOSCOW (MRC) -- Imports of polyethylene (PE) into Kazakhstan fell over the first five months of 2014 by 27% year on year. High density polyethylene (HDPE) accounted for the main reduction in imports from local pipes producers, reported MRC analysts.

There was a slight increase in PE imports to Kazakhstan in May after a drop in April. PE imports rose to 6,800 tonnes from 6,200 tonnes a month earlier. The overall imports of polymers of ethylene to the local market slumped to 34,500 tonnes from January to May 2014 versus 46,900 tonnes in the same period of 2013. Demand for PE from local pipes producers subsided significantly.

The structure of PE imports by grades looks the following way over the stated period.

May HDPE imports rose to 5,500 tonnes (3,900 tonnes in April) because of increased supplies from Russia. The overall HDPE imports to Kazakhstan fell to 25,100 tonnes over first five months of the year from 39,500 tonnes in the same period of 2013. Pipes producers accounted for more than 80% of the total HDPE consumption in Kazakhstan.

Weaker demand from local pipes producers was caused by several factors: the end of the regime of preferential imports (a preferential regime of pipe grade HDPE imports was in force up to 1 January 2014, when pipes producers could have imported material without paying an import duty), the February devaluation of the national currency by 20% and reduced investment into infrastructure by the state.

May imports of low density polyethylene (LDPE) dropped to 1,100 tonnes (1,800 tonnes in April) because of the reduced supplies from Russia (a scheduled outage for maintenance at Kazanorgsintez). The overall LDPE imports to Kazakhstan totalled about 7,600 tonnes from January to May 2014 versus 5,700 tonnes in the same period of 2013. Russian producers with the share of over 92% in the total 2014 imports are the key LDPE suppliers.

May imports of linear low density polyethylene (LLDPE) fell to 316 tonnes (510 tonnes in April). The overall LLDPE imports to Kazakhstan virtually remained at the last year's level over the first five months of 2014 and totalled about 1,700 tonnes. Producers from Asia and Uzbekistan are the key PE suppliers to the republic.

MRC

MOSCOW (MRC) -- Bharat Petroleum Corp. Ltd (BPCL) is talking to companies in Japan and China for technology to manufacture propylene-based products at its proposed petrochemicals complex in Kochi in Kerala as per Plastemart.

Two persons familiar with the talks confirmed that discussions were underway with one company each in Japan and China, with a final decision likely in a couple of months.

Propylene-based products such as acrylic acid and acrylates are used in plastics, paints, coatings, adhesives, inks and textiles. The company’s attempt to enter this niche segment, which is fully dependent on imports, depends on its ability to secure technology for the same. This is BPCL’s second attempt in tying up technology for the industrial raw material, after talks with South Korea’s LG Chem Ltd failed earlier.

As MRC wrote before, Bharat Petroleum Corporation Ltd (BPCL) is in the process of exploring a 50:50 polyurethane (PU) joint venture in Kochi with city-based Manali Petrochemicals Ltd., at an outlay of around Rs.2,500 crore.

Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited (BPCL) is an Indian state-controlled oil and gas company headquartered in Mumbai, India. Bharat Petroleum owns refineries at Mumbai, Maharashtra and Kochi, Kerala (Kochi Refineries) with a capacity of 12 and 9.5 million metric tonnes per year.
MRC

MOSCOW (MRC) -- Saudi Arabia Mining Co. (Ma’aden) said it will launch tomorrow, July 1, the commercial operation of its subsidiary Sahara and Ma’aden Petrochemical Co. (SAMAPCO), said Mubasher.

The plant is designed to produce 250,000 tons per year of concentrated caustic soda and 300,000 tons of ethylene dichloride (EDC), the company said.

SAMAPCO is a limited liability company, jointly owned 50:50 by Ma’aden and Sahara. In late 2012, Sahara Petrochemicals Company announced that its affiliate Samapco had signed financing agreements for a total amount of SAR 1980.75 million (USD 528.2 million). The agreements were signed with three Saudi banks: Banque Saudi Fransi, Riyad Bank and The Saudi British Bank, to provide Islamic commercial financing for the development of Samapco's ethylene dichloride and caustic soda petrochemical project located in Jubail Industrial City. The financing is for a period of 15 years with unequal semi-annual installments commencing after the completion of the project.

Sahara Petrochemical is involved in building and operating petrochemical projects, especially propylene, polypropylene, ethylene and mixed polyethylene industries.
mrcplasr.com

MOSCOW (MRC) -- Honeywell Process Solutions announced Wednesday that it will supply a new integrated control and safety system for Qatar Fuel Additives Company’s (QAFAC) plant in Mesaieed Industrial City, located 50 kilometers south of Doha, said Hydrocarbonprocessing.

The upgrade will help the plant reduce operating costs and improve efficiencies as it increases production of methanol and MTBE (methyl tertiary butyl ether), a key gasoline additive that reduces tailpipe emissions.

Honeywell’s integrated control and safety solution, including a new fire and gas system, will improve automation at the plant, increase cyber security, and enhance operator effectiveness. QAFAC will also benefit from ongoing long-term services through Honeywell’s lifecycle support, according to company officials.

QAFAC, a joint venture between state-backed Industries Qatar, OPIC Middle East, LCY and IOL, plans to become one of the top five international producers of methanol and butane derivatives by 2020. It is also planning to commission an USD80 million carbon dioxide recovery project this year to capture 500 tpd of CO2 for re-injection into the production cycle.

When added to gasoline, MTBE enhances octane levels to reduce engine knocking. It also helps the gasoline burn more completely, which reduces tailpipe emissions and helps to meet Euro 5 standards. QAFAC produces MTBE using process technology licensed from Honeywell's UOP segment.

The solution includes Honeywell’s Experion PKS distributed control system, Honeywell’s Safety Manager, and its XLS fire detection systems. Work under the multi-million dollar contract has already begun and is due for completion in 2014.

As MRC wrote before, UOP LLC, a Honeywell company, announced that its licensee, China's Wison (Nanjing) Clean Energy Co. Ltd., has produced more than 360 mln lbs of light olefins at a plant in Nanjing, China, using UOP's breakthrough methanol-to-olefins (MTO) process technology.

MRC