AkzoNobel to collaborate with SERIS on solar cell technology

MOSCOW (MRC) -- AkzoNobel has partnered with the Solar Energy Research Institute of Singapore (SERIS) at the National University of Singapore in order to explore less costly ways of producing high-efficiency silicon wafer solar cells, reported the company on its site.

The company's High Purity Metalorganics (HPMO) business is a leading supplier of electronic materials to the semiconductor and solar industries. Together with SERIS, they will now investigate how to respond to the photovoltaic industry’s desire to reduce the costs involved in moving towards more efficient cell architectures.

The collaboration has been prompted by the growing expectation that the photovoltaic industry will move towards higher efficiency silicon wafer solar cell architectures.

"AkzoNobel has developed significant knowledge in this field and together with SERIS, will identify how to best reduce the total cost of ownership of solar power," said Dr Bram Hoex, Director of the Silicon Materials and Cells Cluster at SERIS. "In particular, the partnership aims to explore how to produce more cost-efficient metalorganic precursor grades that will offer the kind of long-term benefits the industry is looking for."

The new precursors should offer an attractive alternative to the current commercially available metalorganics, which are designed for applications other than high-efficiency silicon wafer solar cells.

AkzoNobel's HPMO products are used in a wide range of industrial and consumer products, including lasers, solar cells, LEDs and mobile phones.

As MRC wrote previously, AkzoNobel completed the sale of its Primary Amides chemicals business to PMC Group effective December 31, 2013. The sale follows a review of the business' fit within AkzoNobel's Functional Chemicals portfolio, where it operated as a standalone activity.

Akzo Nobel N.V., trading as AkzoNobel, is a Dutch multinational, active in the fields of decorative paints, performance coatings and specialty chemicals. Headquartered in Amsterdam, the company has activities in more than 80 countries, and employs approximately 55,000 people.
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MOSCOW (MRC) -- NS Styrene Monomer has restarted its No.2 styrene monomer (SM) plant, as per Apic-online.

A Polymerupdate source in Japan informed that the plant restarted over the weekend. It was shut on July 8, 2014 owing to feedstock supply problems.

Located at Oita in Japan, the plant has a production capacity of 190,000 mt/year.

As MRC informed previously, Styrindo Mono Indonesia (SMI) is in plans to shut its No.1 styrene monomer (SM) plant for maintenance turnaround in H2 November 2014. The plant is slated to be shut for around one month. Located in Merak, Indonesia, the plant has a production capacity of 100,000 mt/year.

Besides, Idemitsu SM (Malaysia), an affiliate of Idemitsu Kosan, one of Japan’s largest refining and petrochemical companies, is likely to shut down its SM plant for maintenance in August 2014. It is likely to remain shut for around one month. Located at Pasir Gudang in Malaysia, the SM plant has a production capacity of 600,000 mt/year.

We also remind that Taiyo Petrochemical is in plans to shut down its SM plant for maintenance in September 2014. The shutdown is expected to remain in force for around 30 days. The plant is currently operating at full production capacity levels. Located at Ube in Japan, the SM plant has a production capacity of 370,000 mt/year.
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MOSCOW (MRC) -- Eastman Chemical Co. said its second-quarter earnings rose 11% as the chemical and materials company reported improved sales across most of its major business segments that offset weakness at its specialty fluids and intermediates segment, said The Wall Street Journal.

Eastman, which makes chemicals, plastics and synthetic fibers, has continued to grow through acquisitions. Eastman in June completed its acquisition of the assets of BP PLC's global aviation turbine engine oil unit. The company's deal for Commonwealth Laminating & Coating Inc., a maker of window films and specialty films for the automotive, architectural and protective applications markets, is expected to close in the second half of the year. Commonwealth will become part of Eastman's advanced materials segment.

In the latest quarter, the company's specialty fluids and intermediates segment reported lower sales and adjusted operating earnings, partly the result of an unplanned shutdown at its Kingsport, Tenn., operations and a decrease in sales volume resulting from a first-quarter weather-related outage at the Longview, Texas, site.

Eastman Chemical reported a profit of USD292 million, or USD1.93 a share, up from USD264 million, or USD1.69 a share, a year earlier. Excluding acquisition impacts and other items, adjusted earnings from continuing operations rose to USD1.92 from USD1.80. Revenue increased 0.8% to USD2.46 billion.

As MRC wrote before, earlier this year, Eastman Chemical Company, a global specialty chemical company, enhanced its medical packaging portfolio with Eastalite copolyester, the company’s first opaque offering, which is styrene-free and can be a sustainable alternative to high-impact polystyrene (HIPS).

Eastman (headquartered in Kingsport, Tennessee, USA) is a global specialty chemical company that produces a broad range of products found in items people use every day. With a portfolio of specialty businesses, Eastman works with customers to deliver innovative products and solutions while maintaining a commitment to safety and sustainability. Its market-driven approaches take advantage of world-class technology platforms and leading positions in attractive end-markets such as transportation, building and construction, and consumables.
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MOSCOW (MRC) -- Tobolsk-Polymer (SIBUR group), Russia's largest polypropylene (PP) producer, has resumed production after a scheduled shutdown for maintenance, reported MRC analysts.

Yesterday, on 31 August, 2014, Tobolsk-Polymer resumed its PP production after the scheduled outage for a turnaround. Maintenance works at the plant started on 30 June 2014.

As reported earlier, Tobolsk-Polymer was the first Russian PP producer of polypropylene that shut down its production for maintenance. Tomskneftekhim with the annual capacity of 140,000 tonnes stopped its production for a turnaround on 20 July, Ufaorgsintez and Poliom intend to shut down their production from mid-August.

LLC "Tobolsk-Polymer" is a subsidiary of SIBUR and Russia's largest construction project of a modern PP complex with the production capacity of 500,000 tonnes per year. It is located in the industrial zone of Tobolsk, at the production site of Tobolsk-Neftekhim.
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MOSCOW (MRC) -- BP, the UK oil company with the single-biggest foreign investment in Russia, warned that more sanctions against the country could hurt its business, said Hydrocarbonprocessing.

BP, with a 20% stake in OAO Rosneft, stands to lose the most from further sanctions in response to Russia’s annexation of Crimea. The European Union and the US are acting to intensify punitive measures aimed at key sectors of the economy -- finance, defense and energy.

"Any future erosion of our relationship with Rosneft, or the impact of further economic sanctions, could adversely impact our business and strategic objectives in Russia, the level of our income, production and reserves, our investment in Rosneft and our reputation," BP said in an earnings statement.

BP reported a 34% increase in second-quarter profit, beating analyst estimates, including USD1 billion underlying net income from Rosneft. That compares with USD218 million from the Russian company a year earlier. BP received a USD690 million dividend from Rosneft last week and doesn’t expect this to be at risk next year. Its stake is worth USD15 billion.

"To date, these sanctions have had no material adverse impact on BP or Ruhr Oel GmbH," a joint refining venture between BP and Rosneft, it said. "However, BP will continue to keep this under review."

EU governments agreed Tuesday in Brussels to bar Russian state-owned banks from selling shares or bonds in Europe and restricted the export of equipment to modernize the oil industry, a key prop for Russia’s economy, two EU officials told reporters.

A Dutch court ruled Monday in favor of former Yukos Oil Co. officials, ordering Russia to pay USD50 billion for seizing what was once the country’s largest oil producer. The decision risks dragging Rosneft and natural gas exporter OAO Gazprom into extended legal wrangling. The state-run companies may be targeted because they were beneficiaries of expropriated Yukos assets. "We are monitoring events in Russia,” CEO Bob Dudley, who was re-elected to the Rosneft board in June, said at a media briefing in London. “Sanctions are a matter for governments to resolve through dialog and diplomacy."

Earnings adjusted for one-time items and inventory changes rose to USD3.6 billion from USD2.7 billion a year earlier, the London-based company said in the statement. That beat the USD3.4 billion average estimate of 13 analysts in a Bloomberg News survey. While total energy production declined because of disposals, the company brought online projects with better returns, it said. US output rose 28% in the quarter from a year earlier, boosted by new assets in the Gulf of Mexico.

As MRC wrote before, BP Zhuhai is in plans to start a new purified terephthalic acid (PTA) plant in China. A Polymerupdate source in China informed that the plant is likely to start in Q4, 2014. The exact start-up schedule of the plant could not be ascertained. To be located in Zhuhai province, China, the plant will have a production capacity of 1.25 million mt/year.

BP is one of the world's leading international oil and gas companies, providing its customers with fuel for transportation, energy for heat and light, retail services and petrochemicals products for everyday items.
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