Petrobras names Brazil state banker as new CEO

MOSCOW (MRC) -- President Dilma Rousseff is putting her faith in a state bank executive to guide Brazil’s national oil company Petrobras out of an unprecedented graft scandal. Shares plunged, reported Hydrocarbonprocessing.

Rousseff chose Banco do Brasil CEO Aldemir Bendine as Petrobras’ new CEO, a government spokesman said in televised remarks Friday as the board met in Sao Paulo. The government controls both Petrobras and Banco do Brasil with a majority of voting shares.

Bendine, 51, is set to take over from Maria das Gracas Foster, who announced her resignation Feb. 4 after failing to broker consensus on the cost of the escalating investigation. Petrobras fell the most among major Brazilian shares on concern the new CEO lacks the independence to lead a turnaround.

At Petrobras, Bendine will take on the task of continuing to increase production at a time the company is slashing investments until it regains access to debt markets. The biggest producer in waters deeper than 100 feet (300 meters) is halting projects and considering multi-billion-dollar writedowns after the arrest of its former head of refining uncovered Brazil’s biggest-ever corruption scheme, dubbed Carwash.

As MRC wrote before, in January 2015, Petrobrasawarded two ultra-deepwater contracts to the project management, engineering and construction company, Technip. The French company would deliver flexible pipes of about 100 kilometers that would support oil production, gas lift and gas injection. These pipelines will be supplied to the Sapinhoa Norte field and I5 at Lula field, in the Santos Basin, offshore Brazil which lay at water depths of around 2,500 meters.

Headquartered in Rio de Janeiro, Petrobras is an integrated energy firm. Petrobras' activities include exploration, exploitation and production of oil from reservoir wells, shale and other rocks as well as refining, processing, trade and transport of oil and oil products, natural gas and other fluid hydrocarbons, in addition to other energy-related activities.
MRC

US PolyOne names Midea senior VP, global operations

MOSCOW (MRC) -- PolyOne Corporation, a provider of specialized polymer materials, services and solutions, announced that John Midea has been hired as senior vice president, global operations and process improvement, said the company in its press release.

With more than 20 years of operations and executive management experience, Mr. Midea will lead PolyOne's award-winning global operational excellence initiatives, including manufacturing process improvement, environmental health and safety, global sourcing and logistics, Lean Six Sigma training and deployment, and integration of acquisitions.

Prior to joining PolyOne, Mr. Midea was president and CEO at Resco Products, a private equity refractory products company. He also previously served as president and COO of Ennis Traffic Solutions, a private equity traffic and infrastructure company with operations in nine countries. He spent 12 years at Valspar Corporation with increasing roles of responsibility, including vice president, where he was accountable for the North American segment of its liquid, powder, electrocoat and after market specialty chemical businesses. Mr. Midea is a graduate of the United States Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland, earning a Bachelor of Science degree in marine engineering, and he spent six years in the U.S. Navy as a submarine officer. Mr. Midea also earned an MBA from Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois.

As MRC informed earlier, in February 2014, PolyOne Corporation announced the addition of new capabilities to its OnColor HC Plus portfolio. These expanded offerings add medical-grade LDPE, nylon, PEBA, PS and PVC to the globally available palette of specialty healthcare colorants, and are pre-certified to meet or exceed biocompatibility requirements for ISO 10993 and/or USP Class VI protocols.

PolyOne Corporation, with 2014 revenues of USD3.8 billion, is a premier provider of specialized polymer materials, services and solutions. The company is dedicated to serving customers in diverse industries around the globe, by creating value through collaboration, innovation and an unwavering commitment to excellence. Guided by its Core Values, Sustainability Promise and No Surprises PledgeSM, PolyOne is committed to its customers, employees, communities and shareholders through ethical, sustainable and fiscally responsible principles.
MRC

Olin Corp Q4 net profit falls 48.2%, sales down 11%

MOSCOW (MRC) -- Olin Corporation announced today that its fourth quarter 2014 net income was USD12.8 million, or USD0.16 per diluted share, which compares to USD24.7 million, or USD0.31 per diluted share, in the fourth quarter of 2013, as per company's press release.

Sales in the fourth quarter of 2014 were USD499.8 million compared to USD562.1 million in the fourth quarter of 2013. Full year 2014 income from continuing operations was USD105.0 million, or USD1.32 per diluted share, which compares to USD178.6 million, or USD2.21 per diluted share, in 2013. Sales in 2014 were USD2.2 billion compared to USD2.5 billion in 2013.

Fourth quarter 2014 results included USD11.2 million of pretax restructuring charges, primarily related to the decision to permanently close approximately 50% of the chlor alkali capacity at the Becancour, Canada facility. Fourth quarter 2013 earnings included a USD6.5 million pretax gain associated with the sale of a joint venture interest, USD4.0 million of favorable tax adjustments and USD1.4 million of pretax restructuring charges.

"Winchester's fourth quarter 2014 commercial volumes and segment earnings reached the second highest fourth quarter levels ever. During the fourth quarter of 2014, the Chlor Alkali business experienced lower chlorine and caustic soda shipments and ECU netbacks, reflecting lower caustic soda prices, compared to the fourth quarter of 2013. Fourth quarter 2014 Chemical Distribution segment earnings were comparable to the fourth quarter of 2013.

"First quarter 2015 net income is forecast to be in the USD0.20 to USD0.25 per diluted share range. Chlor Alkali first quarter 2015 earnings are expected to be similar to the fourth quarter of 2014 reflecting higher ECU netbacks and higher volumes offset by higher operating costs. Earnings in the Winchester segment are expected to be slightly lower than first quarter 2013 levels. First quarter 2015 Chemical Distribution earnings are expected to improve from the fourth quarter of 2014. First quarter 2015 earnings are also expected to include pretax restructuring charges of approximately USD1 million."

As MRC wrote before, Olin Corp. will permanently close part of its Becancour, Quebec, chemical plant that had already been shut down since June. The Clayton-based maker of chemicals and ammunition, which also owns 9 chemical plants in the U.S., said the move would reduce the Canadian plant's chlor alkali capacity by 185,000 tons.

Olin Corporation manufactures chemicals and ammunition products. The Company manufactures and sells chlorine, caustic soda, sodium hydrosulfite, hydrochloric acid, hydrogen, sodium chlorate, bleach products, and potassium hydroxide. Olin also manufactures products that include sporting ammunition, reloading components, small caliber military ammunition and industrial cartridges.
MRC

Guangzhou Tosoh to shut PVC plant in China for maintenance

MOSCOW (MRC) -- Guangzhou Tosoh is on track to shut a polyvinyl chloride (PVC) plant for maintenance turnaround, as per Apic-online.

A Polymerupdate source in China informed that the plant will be shut on February 27, 2015. It is likely to remain off-stream for around one month.

Located in Guangzhou, China, the plant has a production capacity of 250,000 mt/year.

We remind that, as MRC reported before, on 9 October 2014, Inner Mongolia Yili shut its PVC plant in China for maintenance turnaround. It remained off-stream for around one month. Located at Erdos in Inner Mongolia, the plant has a production capacity of 500,000 mt/year.

Besides, earlier last year, Formosa Plastics Corp (FPC) shut down its PVC plant in China for maintenance turnaround on September 9, 2014. It was planned to remain shut for around one month. Located at Ningbo in Zhejiang province of China, the plant has a production capacity of 400,000 mt/year.
MRC

Marathon defers Garyville refinery upgrader plans, citing market conditions

MOSCOW (MRC) -- Marathon Petroleum is delaying the final investment decision (FID) on its planned residual oil upgrader expansion at its 522,000-bpd Garyville refinery in Louisiana, said Hydrocarbonprocessing.

"We believe this project has great potential returns, but we are deferring a final investment decision as we further evaluate the implications of current market conditions on the project," CEO Gary R. Heminger said in a statement issued with regards to the company's 2015 capital investment plan.

The company's investment plan of USD2.53 billion includes USD1.28 billion for its refining and marketing segment and USD659 million for its pipeline transportation business.

Within the refining business, roughly USD235 million is earmarked for midstream investments and USD370 million for refining margin enhancement projects.

"Our focus for refining in 2015 is to invest in projects that enhance our overall return," Heminger said.

"For example, we are continuing to invest in projects to improve connectivity between our Galveston Bay and Texas City refineries, which will allow us to realize additional synergies through the integration of these two refineries."

As MRC wrote earlier, Marathon Petroleum has closed its transaction with BP to purchase several assets, including the 451,000 bpd refinery located in Texas City, Texas.

Marathon Oil Corporation is a United States-based oil and natural gas exploration and production company. Principal exploration activities are in the United States, Norway, Equatorial Guinea, Poland, Angola and Iraqi Kurdistan.

MRC