Sabic to feature innovative resins and development services to solve water management challenges

MOSCOW (MRC) -- Sabic, a global leader in the chemical industry, will showcase at Aquatech Amsterdam its industry-leading water management resources, technical support services and materials that are helping customers address global industry trends in revitalizing infrastructures and raising operational efficiency, said the producer in its press release.

In particular, the company will spotlight its growing portfolio of high-performance engineering resins for the water management industry, extensive application development capabilities, and new Predictive Engineering Services that can enable the industry to solve tough challenges, ranging from optimizing hydrolytic stability and water quality to preventing corrosion and biofouling.

Sabic will demonstrate at Aquatech Amsterdam how its advanced resin technologies can become the materials of choice for a wide array of potable, process and wastewater applications by delivering important design, performance and productivity benefits that could surpass those of metal and other traditional materials. The company will also showcase at its stand the diverse testing capabilities of its recently expanded Water Management Center of Excellence, located in Bergen op Zoom, The Netherlands. Additionally, Sabic will feature new data that reinforces the benefits of using its resins, live simulations and real-world customer applications.

As MRC informed before, in October 2016, Sabic announced that it had developed next generation low density polyethylene (LDPE) foram grades. The first product of a new generation of LDPE foam grades from SABIC was designed to increase production efficiency at the foam manufacturer.

Saudi Basic Industries Corporation (Sabic) ranks among the worldпїЅs top petrochemical companies. The company is among the worldпїЅs market leaders in the production of polyethylene, polypropylene and other advanced thermoplastics, glycols, methanol and fertilizers.
MRC

Norsi oil refinery of Lukoil has not changed overall oil supplies

MOSCOW (MRC) -- Russia’s Norsi, oil major Lukoil’s largest oil refinery that suffered a fire last week, has not changed the overall plan of oil supplies to its plant this month, Russian pipeline monopoly Transneft said on Monday, reported Reuters.

The country’s second largest oil producer Lukoil said last Friday that output of oil products at the Norsi refinery in the Nizhny Novgorod region was almost unaffected by the fire.

As MRC wrote previously, on 5 May 2017, a fire erupted at a refinery of Russia's No. 2 oil producer Lukoil in the city of Perm in the Urals region the company. The fire was localised at around 0300 GMT and an open combustion was extinguished two hours later.

Lukoil is one of the leading vertically integrated oil company in Russia. The main activities of the company include operations for exploration and production of oil and gas, production and sale of petroleum products. Lukoil is the second largest private oil Company worldwide by proven hydrocarbon reserves. Lukoil structure includes one of the largest Russian petrochemical plant - Stavrolen. In early February 2017, the Antimonopoly Committee of Ukraine gave permission for the purchase of a 75% stake in Lukoil Chemical B.V. (Netherlands), which owned 100% of LLC "Karpatneftekhim" (Kalush, Ivano-Frankivsk region). According to the committee, the company Techinservice Limited (London, UK) was allowed to sell more than 25% of the Dutch Chemical Lukoil to the Ukrainian citizen through Xedrian Holding Ltd (Cyprus) - more than 50% Lukoil Chemical. And in late February 2017, Lukoil completed the sale of Karpatneftekhim, one of the largest producers of polymers in Ukraine.
MRC

Saudi Aramco eyes JV deal in India by next year

MOSCOW (MRC) — State-run oil giant Saudi Aramco is in talks with several Indian refiners and hopes to land a joint venture deal by next year, the company's chief executive told Reuters on Sunday, as per Reuters.

Aramco, like other major oil producers, wants to tap rising demand growth opportunities and invest in the world's third biggest consumer. "We are hoping to land on a JV sometime," Aramco's CEO Amin Nasser said at India Energy Forum by Cera Week in New Delhi. Asked if a deal could be finalised next year, he said: "We hope so. We are in serious discussions."

Aramco wants to buy a stake in the planned 1.2 MMbpd refinery in India's west coast, India's oil minister said in June. The world's biggest oil producer is investing in refineries abroad to help lock in demand for its crude and expand its market share ahead of its initial public offering next year.

Aramco plans to float up to 5% of its shares in 2018 in what could be the world's largest IPO, raising as much as USD100 B. Nasser said Aramco is interested in investing in India's downstream sector—refining, petrochemicals and fuel retailing including lubricants.

Saudi Arabia is competing with Iraq to be India's top oil supplier, with Iraq displacing it for a fifth month in a row in August, data compiled by Reuters showed. Earlier this year Saudi Arabia pledged billions of dollars of investment in projects in Indonesia and Malaysia to ensure long-term oil supply deals.

The International Energy Agency estimates India's refining capacity will lag fuel demand going forward, requiring investment in new plants. Saudi Aramco earlier on Sunday launched a new office in New Delhi as it aims to expands its presence in India.

India's oil minister Dharmendra Pradhan, who inaugurated Aramco's India unit, said Aramco is interested in investing in refinery projects in the Asian country and "very soon they will come to India."

Nasser said Aramco will increase its staff strength in India by four fold compared to now. The company which had 14 employees has now raised staff numbers to around 30.

"India by itself is an important market. The size of India's market is huge. The growth in India last year is 8% last year as compared to 1.5% globally in energy," Nasser said. "We need to be here."
MRC

October prices for European PP up EUR30-40/tonne for CIS countries

MOSCOW (Market Report) -- The October contract price of propylene was agreed in Europe up by EUR30/tonne from September. However, some European producers announced a greater increase in October export prices of polypropylene (PP) for the CIS markets, than the rise of monomer prices, according to ICIS-MRC Price Report.

Negotiations over October prices of European PP began this week, many market participants said some European producers increased their export PP prices more significantly than the rise in monomer prices in the region. Some European producers have restrictions for October shipments, but they are not critical for most buyers.

Deals for October shipments of homopolymer PP were discussed in the range of EUR1,070-1,130/tonne FCA, up by an average of EUR30-40/tonne from September.

Deals for block copolymers of propylene (PP block copolymers) were negotiated in the range of EUR1,170-1,240/tonne FCA. Negotiations over October shipments of statistical propylene copolymers (PP random copolymers) were held in the range of EUR1,230-1,290/tonne FCA.
MRC

Cosmo Films offers a comprehensive range of overwrap films

MOSCOW (MRC) -- Cosmo Films, a global leader in films for packaging, labeling and lamination applications now offers a comprehensive range of overwrap films which include high shrink tight wrap, medium shrink, general overwrap and cable overwrap films, as per the company's press release.

The overwrap films offered are untreated both side heat sealable BOPP based films which not only offer protection to products packed inside due to their moisture barrier property but also enhance the pack optics because of their transparency, clarity and wrinkle free appearance. The high shrink tight wrap films offer shrinkage values in range of 9-11% and are meant for individual cigarette packs. Medium shrink films offer shrinkage in range of 4-6% and are suitable for bundling individual cartons. General overwrap films are used for general purpose printing, pouching & packaging of snacks, bakery products; IV fluids overwraps, textile & hosiery overwraps etc. Cable insulation overwrap films offer excellent moisture barrier and protection from grease, oil and dust.

The films are capable of running at high speed wrapping machines. For instance, tight wrap films enable seamless application at 350 to 380 packets per minute. They also offer excellent hot slip properties, high stiffness and good machinability.

Commenting on the development Mr. Kapil Anand, Head-Label Films Exports, Cosmo Films said, "Though we mostly cater to food & beverage industry through our range of products, we are now glad to be offering products for tobacco industry as well. Apart from the primary benefit of moisture barrier, high shrink film’s shrink ability enables tight wrapping of the cigarette packs that comes in handy for their easy dispensing from the vending machines."

As MRC informed previously, in H1 2017, osmo Films commenced a new line of production of BOPP films. The new line has a capacity of 60,000 tpa, which will enhance the company’s overall capacity by 4%.

Established in 1981, Cosmo Films Limited today is a global leader in speciality films for packaging, lamination and labeling applications. Its films offerings include biaxially oriented polypropylene (BOPP) films, cast polypropylene (CPP) films and soon to be offered biaxially oriented polyethylene terephthalate (BOPET) films. Today, the company is the largest exporter of BOPP films from India and is also the largest producer of thermal laminating films in the world with plant cum distribution centres in the U.S, Korea & Japan and global channel partners in more than seventy countries.
MRC