PTTGC brought on-stream LLDPE plant in Thailand

MOSCOW (MRC) -- PTT Global Chemical (PTTGC) has restarted its linear low density polyethylene (LLDPE) plant, as per Apic-online.

A Polymerupdate source in the Thailand informed that the company has resumed operations at the plant last weekend. The plant was taken off-stream on June 1, 2016 owing to shortage of feedstock ethylene.

Located at Map Ta Phut in Thailand, the LLDPE plant has a production capacity of 400,000 mt/year.

As MRC informed before, PTTGC had already shut down its LLDPE plant in Thailand for a turnaround from early March to 3 April 2016.

PTT Global Chemical is a leading player in the petrochemical industry and owns several petrochemical facilities with a combined capacity of 8.45 million tonnes a year.
MRC

PP imports to Ukraine up 38% in Jan-May 2016

MOSCOW (MRC) -- Overall imports of polypropylene (PP) into Ukraine grew in the first five months of 2016 by 38% year on year, totalling 48,400 tonnes. Propylene copolymers accounted for the greatest increase in supply, according to MRC DataScope report.


May PP imports into Ukraine decreased to 9,100 tonnes from 12,000 tonnes a month earlier, propylene homopolymer (homopolymer PP) accounted for the largest fall in shipments. Overall imports of propylene polymers grew to 48,400 tonnes in January-May 2016 from 35,200 tonnes a year earlier. Statistical propylene copolymer (PP-random) accounted for the greatest increase in imports, thus, local pipes producers raised their consumption by several-fold.

The supply structure by PP grades looked the following way over the stated period.

Last month's imports of homopolymer PP to the Ukrainian market dropped to 6,800 tonnes, whereas this figure was 9,300 tonnes a month earlier. Local companies reduced their purchasing of injection moulding PP by several times. Overall imports of homopolymer PP rose to 37,300 tonnes over the first five months of the year, compared to 25,700 tonnes a year earlier. This significant increase in imports was not supported by demand, there has been oversupply in the market for a long time, which put a major pressure on prices.

May imports of the propylene block copolymers (PP-block) were slightly over 900 tonnes, compared to 1,100 tonnes a month earlier, Ukrainian companies reduced their purchasing of pipe grade PP-block. 4,600 tonnes of PP-block were imported from January to May 2016, whereas this figure was 3,200 tonnes a year earlier.

Last month's imports of PP-random to Ukraine dropped to 1,100 tonnes from 1,500 tonnes in April, local converters reduced their purchasing of film grade PP in foreign markets. Overall imports of PP-random exceeded 5,600 tonnes in January-May 2016, whereas this figure was 3,600 tonnes a year earlier .

Overall imports of other propylene copolymers totalled 819 tonnes over the stated period.

MRC

PE production in Russia grew by 4% in January - May 2016

MOSCOW (MRC) - Production of polyethylene (PE) in Russia increased to 694,300 tonne in first five months of this year, up 4% year on year, compared to the same period of 2015. The greatest increase in supply occurred for high density polyethylene (HDPE), according to MRC ScanPlast.

May PE production in Russia exceeded 137,600 tonnes, while in April it was about 128,000 tonnes. The increase in production mainly resulted from the restart of low density polyethylene (LDPE) production at Kazanorgsintez after scheduled maintenance works. Total PE production in Russia reached 694,300 tonnes in January-May 2016 against 666,000 tonnes year on year. Russia's production of high density polyethylene (HDPE) increased significantly over the reported period, while low density polyethylene (LDPE) output declined.

Structure of PE production over the reported period looked as follows.

Russian HDPE producers practically kept the April level of capacity utilisation in May, having produced 87,300 tonnes. Total HDPE production in the country increased to about 418,000 tonnes in January-May 2016, up 12% year on year.

May output of LDPE decreased to 50,300 tonnes in the five months of the year compared with 40,800 tonnes in April because of the restart of Kazanorgsintez after scheduled maintenances. Total LDPE production in Russia was 253,600 tonnes in January-May 2016 against 280,000 tonnes year on year. One of the main reasons for the reduction in output was the forced shutdown of Angarsk ZP since mid-February because of equipment failure at ethylene production.
Production of linear low density polyethylene (LLDPE) reached 22,600 tonnes in January - May of this year compared with 13,600 tonnes year on year.


MRC

Gazprombank to deliver nitrogen unit for SOCAR Polymer company

MOSCOW (MRC) -- Cryogenmash company, included in Gazprombank Group, will develop and deliver a nitrogen unit for the construction project of SOCAR Polymer company’s plants for the production of polypropylene and high density polyethylene, Gazprombank said June 17.

The corresponding agreement was signed by Rovnag Abdullayev, president of the Azerbaijani State Oil Company (SOCAR) and Andrey Akimov, chairman of board of Gazprombank as part of the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum.

The unit will meet SOCAR Polymer’s needs for high-purity nitrogen gas during the project implementation. "Signing of this agreement is an example of strategic partnership and cooperation between Gazprombank Group and SOCAR Group," Abdullayev said.

According to the message, the unit is based on the most advanced technical and engineering solutions in the industry, which are reducing the capital costs and ensuring more cost-effective modes of operation compared to the equipment of the leading foreign companies.

SOCAR Polymer project is implemented in the Sumgayit Chemical Industrial Park. The polypropylene production plant will be commissioned in the first quarter of 2018, and the polyethylene plant – in the third quarter of 2018. At the initial stage, the plants will produce 120,000 tons of polyethylene and 180,000 tons of polypropylene and the total capacity may reach 570,000 tons by 2021.

Thirty percent of the plant’s output will be sent to domestic market, while 70 percent – for export to Turkey, Europe and CIS countries, according to project estimates.

As MRC MRC informed earlier, SOCAR signed an agreement with Russiaп Gazprombank on providing a loan facility for construction of SOCAR Polymer polypropylene and high-density polyethylene plants in Azerbaijan. The investment committee of Gazprombank has approved a USD489 loan facility for SOCAR Polymer with 10-year term.

SOCAR, which is keen on expanding operations in the retail oil products market abroad, is involved in exploring oil and gas fields, producing, processing, and transporting oil, gas, and gas condensate, marketing petroleum and petrochemical products in the domestic and international markets, and supplying natural gas to industry and the public in Azerbaijan.
MRC

BASF, Aspen sign aerogels supply agreement


MOSCOW (MRC) -- Aspen Aerogels has reached agreement to supply its Spaceloft A2 aerogel insulation product to BASF, for incorporation into BASF’s aerogel enhanced wall system for the building materials market, said the producer.

The companies have also entered into a joint development agreement covering collaboration on the development and commercialization of new products. BASF will fund a USD22-million non-interest bearing advance to support construction of Aspen’s new manufacturing plant in Statesboro, GA. BASF will serve a base load customer for the capacity expansion.

"BASF has played an important role in our development as a company and this next phase of our relationship will support us technically, commercially and financially and will accelerate our diversification into the building materials market," said Don Young, President and CEO of Aspen. "As our track record in the energy infrastructure and subsea markets has demonstrated, our preferred model is to partner with industry leaders to benefit from their technical, commercial, and financial resources. BASF is a world class company dedicated to promoting energy efficiency by delivering next generation products to the global marketplace. For these reasons, BASF is a perfect partner for Aspen Aerogels."

The origin of the partnership dates to 2010 when BASF Venture Capital made an equity investment in Aspen and the two companies began to explore technology development and commercialization opportunities within the building materials market. This work led to the development of Aspen's Spaceloft A2 insulation product.

As MRC informed earlier, Albemarle and BASF announced that they have signed a definitive agreement under which BASF will acquire Albemarle’s Chemetall surface treatment business for about USD3.2 billion in cash.

BASF is the largest diversified chemical company in the world and is headquartered in Ludwigshafen, Germany. BASF produces a wide range of chemicals, for example solvents, amines, resins, glues, electronic-grade chemicals, industrial gases, basic petrochemicals and inorganic chemicals. The most important customers for this segment are the pharmaceutical, construction, textile and automotive industries. BASF generated sales of more than EUR70 billion in 2015.

MRC