BASF presents new copolyamide for packaging - Ultramid Flex F

MOSCOW (MRC) -- BASF, the world's pretrochemical major, has presented a new copolyamide for packaging - Ultramid Flex F, which offers completely new properties, said the producer on its site.

Ultramid Flex F38 L is an entirely new and partly bio-based copolyamide. Thanks to its softness and transparency even at low temperatures and low humidity, this polyamide is ideally suited for soft packaging (see chart below).

Tear and puncture resistance are also increased in an even softer film.

Films made of Ultramid Flex F are even soft immediately after processing and without conditioning. This offers huge advantages for film processing at low temperatures and low humidity.

A quarter of the raw material used for the monomer is sourced from regionally-grown rapeseed oil. Ultramid® Flex F38 L supports the trend towards more sustainable packaging solutions. For the packaging industry, the new Ultramid Flex F unlocks entirely new opportunities for launching bio-based products onto the market.

With a CO2 and O2 permeability 15 times higher than in conventional polyamide 6, the new Ultramid Flex F38 L possess considerably changed barrier properties. For example, Ultramid Flex F is ideally suited for use as cheese ripening bags.

Thanks to its high flexibility and softness, the new Ultramid can also be used to produce soft vacuum and shrink bags. The product also allows for conventional stretching ratios in deep-drawing processes – without any stress whitening.

In addition to its use in the food industry, the new Ultramid Flex F is the ideal solution for a wide array of technical films that are characterized by sufficient ductility and tear strength even at lower temperatures.

Ultramid Flex F38 L has a considerably higher melt stability than conventional polyamides, allowing for an outstanding bubble stability and higher blow-up ratio. These processing properties enable users to optimize the entire film structure.

As MRC informed previously, in May 2015, BASF inaugurated its new Ultramid (polyamide 6 and 6/6.6) polymerization plant at the Shanghai Chemical Industry Park in Shanghai, China. The new plant, with a capacity of 100,000 metric tons per year, further strengthened BASF’s local production and supply network and better serve the growing market in Asia Pacific.

BASF is the world’s leading chemical company. Its portfolio ranges from chemicals, plastics, performance products and crop protection products to oil and gas. BASF operates Ultramid polymerization plants in Ludwigshafen, Germany; Antwerp, Belgium; Freeport, Texas/USA; and Shanghai, China.
MRC

PVC imports to Ukraine dropped by 13% in H1 2017

MOSCOW (MRC) -- Imports of suspension polyvinyl chloride (SPVC) into Ukraine decreased in the first six months of 2017 by 13% year on year, totalling 48,000 tonnes, according to MRC's DataScope report.

Last month's SPVC imports to Ukraine fell to 8,600 tonnes from 11,400 tonnes in May. In anticipation of resumption of resin production at Karpatneftekhim, Ukrainian companies reduced their shipments from the US, and restrictions on purchasing of polymer in Europe and Russia also remained.

Overall SPVC imports totalled about 48,000 tonnes in January-June 2017, compared to 55,300 tonnes a year earlier. Demand for suspension subsided from local producers of profile-moulded products, whereas demand for resin increased from producers of plasticized PVC.


The structure of PVC imports into Ukraine by countries looked the following way over the stated period.

Last month's SPVC imports from the United States decreased to 4,300 tonnes from 6,400 tonnes in May, local companies were forced to restrict their purchasing of North American resin because of expectations of Karpatneftekhim's launch. Imports of North American resin totalled 17,400 tonnes in January-June 2017 versus 34,700 tonnes a year earlier.

June shipments of European PVC into the Ukrainian market went down to 2,800 tonnes from 3,100 tonnes a month earlier. Overall imports of European PVC rose to 21,300 tonnes over the stated period, compared to 16,500 tonnes a year earlier.

Last month's SPVC imports from Russia dropped to 1,300 tonnes from 1,900 tonnes in May. Shipments of Russian resin totalled 8,900 tonnes in the first six months of 2017, compared to 3,800 tonnes a year earlier.

MRC

ADNOC and Borealis to extend and expand joint petchem activities in Ruwais

MOSCOW (MRC) -- The Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC) and Borealis have signed a framework agreement, under which the companies will advance two key projects that will expand both ADNOC and Borealis downstream petrochemicals business and support the delivery of ADNOC’s integrated smart growth and partnership strategy, as per Hydrocarbonprocessing.

The agreement was signed by H.E. Dr. Sultan Ahmed Al Jaber, UAE Minister of State and Group CEO of ADNOC and Mark Garrett, Borealis Chief Executive.

Earlier this month, ADNOC announced the expansion of its strategic partnership model to span the Group’s entire value chain as well as the more active management of its portfolio of assets. This new initiative builds on ADNOC’s flexible operating model and its 2030 growth strategy. It will enable ADNOC to unlock and maximize significant value from across the Group, drive business and revenue growth, optimize performance, improve technology transfer, and secure greater access for its products in key growth markets.

Under the agreement, ADNOC and Borealis will move to the pre-FEED (front end engineering and design) stage for the construction of the Borouge 4 complex, which encompasses a world-scale, mixed feedstock cracker, using existing feedstock available in Abu Dhabi and downstream derivatives units for both polyolefin and non-polyolefin products. The proposed Borouge 4 complex is slated to come on stream around 2023 and will be integrated with ADNOC’s Takreer refinery.

Simultaneously, the companies have agreed to commence engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) tendering for an additional polypropylene plant (PP5) based on Borealis’ proprietary Borstar technology. The plant, to be integrated with the existing Borouge 3 complex, will add value to the surplus propylene available from Takreer’s new Propane DeHydrogenation (PDH) unit, producing around 0.5 million tonnes per annum of polypropylene.

The Borouge JV was established in 1998 and production has progressively ramped up with the consecutive completions of the Borouge 1, 2 and 3 complexes. Today’s production capacity is 4.5 MMtpy following the successful start-up of Borouge 3 in 2016.

The framework agreement also identifies that ADNOC and Borealis will review the extension of their successful Borouge joint venture beyond its first 30-year lifetime.

Building new capacity in the UAE ensures the long-term security of supply and further enables Borouge to expand its product portfolio and deliver leading edge products. With the proven track record of operational reliability of Borouge, the new assets will support Borouge customers’ growth ambitions in the automotive and energy markets as well as in pipe, agricultural film and the rigid and flexible packaging sectors.

As part of its 2030 strategy, ADNOC aims to expand petrochemical production from the current 4.5 million tonnes per year to 11.4 million tonnes per year by 2025.

As MRC informed before, ADNOC is targeting rapid growth in demand for its polymer products from China’s automotive industry and the country’s investment in gas and electricity infrastructure. ADNOC is focused on market expansion in China and Asia, where demand for petrochemicals and plastics, including light-weight automotive components, essential utility piping and cable insulation, is forecast to double by 2040.

Borealis is a leading provider of innovative solutions in the fields of polyolefins, base chemicals and fertilizers. With headquarters in Vienna, Austria, Borealis currently employs around 6,500 and operates in over 120 countries.
MRC

MHI completes polyethylene plant in Mont Belvieu for ExxonMobil Chemical

MOSCOW (MRC) -- Mitsubishi Heavy Industries America, Inc. (MHIA), a fully owned subsidiary of Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd. (MHI), has completed the construction of a large-scale two-train polyethylene plant in the U.S., as per the company's press release.

The construction order was placed in 2014 by ExxonMobil Chemical Company, an affiliate of Exxon Mobil Corporation specializing in petrochemical products.

The plant will be able to produce 1.3 million tons of polyethylene per year and is situated near an existing plant operated by ExxonMobil in Mont Belvieu, Texas. It is equipped to perform reaction processing, final finishing, packaging, and shipment.

Commenting on the completion of the new plant's construction, Yoichiro Ban, Senior Vice President of MHI, noted, "We are delighted that the plant has been completed smoothly, on schedule and with an excellent safety record. The construction process of the new plant is testament to the high level of project management provided by MHI Group."

MHI Group is also constructing a large-scale polyethylene plant at ExxonMobil's petrochemical complex in Beaumont, Texas, representing the third polyethylene plant project conducted by MHI Group for ExxonMobil. The first polyethylene plant was installed at ExxonMobil's Singapore complex in 2011.

The U.S. is currently experiencing a buoyant market for chemical plants, driven by expanding production of shale gas. In April 2016, MHIA relocated its headquarters from New York to Houston, where many chemical plant-related customers are concentrated. In January 2017, MHIA also established a new Oil & Gas Division to oversee business development in this field. Through these activities, MHI will continue to strengthen its relationship with its customers as it moves steadily forward in developing the North American market for chemical plants.

As MRC informed earlier, in November 2016, Jacobs Engineering Group Inc. announced it received a contract from ExxonMobil Chemical Company to provide engineering, design and construction management services as part of a new 650 kTa polyethylene facility to be located at ExxonMobil’s Beaumont polyethylene plant.

ExxonMobil is the largest non-government owned company in the energy industry and produces about 3% of the world's oil and about 2% of the world's energy.
MRC

Vina SCG proceeding with investment in Long Son petrochemicals complex

MOSCOW (MRC) -- Vina SCG Chemicals Co., a wholly-owned subsidiary of Siam Cement Group (SCG), has approval to proceed with its planned investment in Long Son Petrochemicals Co. (LSP) in Ba Ria-Vung Tau province, near Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, as per Apic-online.

The project, estimated to cost about USD5.4-billion, will include a 1-million-t/y ethylene cracker with flexible gas and naphtha feed, which will have the capacity to pro-duce up to 1.6-million t/y of olefins, depending on the feedstock mix.

Also included in the project, is the downstream production of about 2.7-million t/y of high-density polyethylene, linear low-density polyethylene and polypropylene. Construction is expected to take four and a half years and commercial operations are an-ticipated by the first half of 2022.

SCG said LSP would issue a Letter of Award to key contractors on 14 July 2017, with the final contract sign-ing planned this year. No announcement was made as of PCN's press deadline.

SCG holds a 71% indirect interest in LSP (53% through Vina SCG and 18% via Thai Plastic and Chemicals). PetroVietnam holds the remaining 29% stake.

As MRC informed before, in September 2016, Russia's Rosneft signed a contract to supply 96 MMt of crude oil to PV Oil, an affiliate of state oil and gas PetroVietnam, starting 2017.

SCG Chemicals is a subsidiary of SCG and is one of SCG’s 3 core businesses consisting of Chemicals, Paper and Cement-Building Materials. SCG embarked upon the chemicals business in 1989. At present, SCG Chemicals manufactures and supplies a full range of petrochemical products ranging from upstream petrochemicals such as Olefins, intermediate petrochemicals such as Styrene Monomer, PTA, and MMA, to downstream petrochemicals such as Polyethylene, Polypropylene, Polyvinyl Chloride, and Polystyrene resins. SCG Chemicals is now one of the largest integrated petrochemical companies in Thailand and a key industry leader in the Asia-Pacific region.
MRC