TKOC resumed Shuaiba cracker production

MOSCOW (MRC) -- Kuwait Olefins Co (TKOC) has brought on-stream its cracker following a maintenance turnaround, as per Apic-online.

A Polymerupdate source in Kuwait informed that the company has recently resumed operations at the plant. The cracker was taken off-line in end-October 2017

Located at Shuaiba in Kuwait, the cracker has a ethylene production capacity of 850,000 mt/year.

EQUATE Petrochemical Company is the single operator of Greater EQUATE, which includes The Kuwait Styrene Company (TKSC), Kuwait Paraxylene Production Company (KPPC) and The Kuwait Olefins Company (TKOC) under one fully integrated operational umbrella at Kuwait’s Shuaiba Industrial Area.
MRC

Kinder Morgan Canada denied expedited appeal for oil pipeline

MOSCOW (MRC) — Canada's National Energy Board (NEB) will take until at least Dec. 4 to review Kinder Morgan Canada Ltd's appeal over its Trans Mountain oil pipeline expansion, the regulator said on Tuesday, rejecting the company's proposed "expedited" timeline, said Reuters.

The company, a unit of Houston-based Kinder Morgan Inc, last month asked the regulator to intervene after it said it was unable to obtain permits from the city of Burnaby, British Columbia. Burnaby has long opposed the expansion over environmental concerns, and the lack of permits from the city adds to the hurdles facing the USD5.9 B expansion, as North American energy projects face increasing opposition from activists.

Kinder Morgan Canada declined to comment, although in previous regulatory filings it said such cases could result in delays for the expansion, which is scheduled to go online December 2019. In a statement on Tuesday, the NEB said it will hear cross-examinations on affidavits on Nov. 29 and oral summaries on Dec. 4, without saying when it will make a decision.

Kinder Morgan had asked for the case to involve only written submissions to the board, and for that process to conclude by Nov. 10. The company had noted a related case was resolved in a month.

Canadian oil producers, whose landlocked product trades at a discount to the West Texas Intermediate benchmark, say they need additional pipeline capacity to fetch better prices.

The proposed expansion of the Trans Mountain pipeline from Canada's oil-rich Alberta province would nearly triple its capacity to 890,000 bpd and significantly increase crude tanker traffic off the west coast.

Alberta and fellow crude-producing province Saskatchewan have since joined Kinder Morgan in its appeal, while British Columbia has joined on the side of Burnaby.

Saskatchewan Premier Brad Wall on Monday rejected Burnaby's request that the province's attorney general retract his accusation that the city is purposely denying the permits.
MRC

Evonik to acquire additive compounding business from 3M

MOSCOW (MRC) -- German speciality chemicals company Evonik Industries AG has signed an agreement to acquire the high-concentrates additive compounding business of US-based 3M, the company announced 28 Nov, said the company on its website.

The move is part of Evonik’s plan to further expand capabilities in speciality additives, with the acquisition adding solid additives to its portfolio. The parties did not disclose the price of the purchase.

Commenting on the takeover, Dietmar Schaefer, head of Evonik’s interface & performance business line, said the transaction would enable it to “significantly expand” its product portfolio.

The deal includes the Accurel brand product portfolio which is produced in Obernburg, Bavaria, Germany, as well as the Obernburg production facility with approximately 25 jobs which will be retained. The high-concentrates additive compounding technology allows plastic manufacturers to introduce large volumes of additives into a polymer matrix via a solid polymer carrier.

The new addition will enable Evonik to target new applications, including the packaging industry. The deal is expected to be completed in the first quarter of 2018 subject to customary closing conditions. These operations will be incorporated into Evonik’s interface & performance business line, which produces and markets speciality additives for the plastics industry.
MRC

PVC imports to Kazakhstan down by 6% in ten months of 2017

MOSCOW (MRC) -- Imports of unmixed polyvinyl chloride (PVC) into Kazakhstan dropped in January-October 2017 by 6% year on year to 45,500 tonnes, reported MRC analysts.


Imports of unmixed PVC to Kazakhstan slightly increased in October, reaching 3,800 tonnes, compared to 3,400 tonnes a month earlier. Thus, overall imports of resin reached 45,500 tonnes in the first ten months of 2017, compared to 48,400 tonnes a year earlier.

Due to the geographical position, Chinese producers with the share of about 91% of the local market over the stated period.are the main suppliers of PVC to Kazakhstan.

But some Russian producers have begun to enter the Kazakh market more actively for the past several months. Imports of resin exceeded 4,000 tonnes in the first ten months of 2017.

MRC

PE production in Russia rose by 1% in first ten months of 2017

MOSCOW (MRC) -- Russia's production of polyethylene (PE) grew by 1% year on year in the first ten months of 2017 to 1,407,600 tonnes. The linear low density polyethylene (LLDPE) segment accounted for the greatest increase in the output, according to MRC's ScanPlast report.


October overall PE production decreased to 105,500 tonnes, whereas this figure reached 122,600 tonnes a month earlier, with high density polyethylene (HDPE) accounting for the main decrease in the output. Overall PE production reached 1,407,600 tonnes in January-October 2017, compared to 1,400,000 tonnes a year earlier. Output of low density polyethylene (LDPE) and LLDPE increased, whereas HDPE production decreased.

The structure of PE output by grades looked the following way over the stated period.


October HDPE production fell to 46,400 tonnes from 66,500 tonnes a month earlier, the largest producers - Kazanorgsintez and Stavrolen - shut their production capacities for maintenance in September. Russian plants' overall HDPE output reached 760,600 tonnes in January-October 2017, down by 8% year on year.

Last month's overall LDPE production rose to 59,100 tonnes from 48,900 tonnes in September; two producers - Tomskneftekhim and Angarsk Polymers Plants - simultaneously increased their output. Overall LDPE production exceeded 540,000 tonnes over the stated period, up by 5% year on year.

Nizhnekamskneftekhim, Russia's only LLDPE producer, significantly increased its output this year, its LLDPE production was about 107,000 tonnes in the first ten months of 2017, whereas this figure did not exceed 57,700 tonnes a year earlier.

MRC