Emerson completes Paradigm acquisition

MOSCOW (MRC) — Emerson announced it has completed the purchase of Paradigm, a leading provider of software solutions to the oil and gas industry, said Hydrocarbonprocessing.

The combination of Paradigm with Emerson’s Roxar software business creates a comprehensive Exploration & Production (E&P) software portfolio offering.

Paradigm is headquartered in Houston and has more than 500 employees globally. The company provides an array of tools that enable customers to gain deeper insight into the subsurface, reduce uncertainty and support responsible asset management.
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MOSCOW (MRC) -- Idemitsu SM Malaysia has undertaken a planned shutdown at its styrene monomer (SM) plant, as per Apic-online.

A Polymerupdate source in Malaysia informed that the company has halted operations at the plant on December 1, 2017. The plant is expected to remain off-line for a period of around 45 days.

Located at Pasir Gudang in Malaysia, the plant has a production capacity of 240,000 mt/year.

As MRC reported earlier, in 2016, Idemitsu SM Malaysia conducted a turnaround at its SM plant in Pasir Gudang from mid-April to end-May.

Idemitsu Kosan is a Japanese petroleum company. It owns and operates oil platforms, refineries and produces and sells petroleum, oils and petrochemical products. The company runs two petrochemical plants in Chiba and Tokuyama. The two naphtha crackers can produce up to 997,000 tonnes of ethylene per year.
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MOSCOW (MRC) -- Perstorp is announcing world’s first portfolio of renewable alternatives to the essential polyols Pentaerythritol (Penta), Trimethylolpropane (TMP), and Neopentyl glycol (Neo), as per the company's press release.

The product portfolio will be globally launched at China Coat. The launch is a response to the fast growing global need for more sustainable Coatings, Resins and Synthetic Lubricants to mention a few. This means that Perstorp is the only chemical company in the world to offer all three essential polyols Penta, TMP and Neo in both traditional and renewable forms.

World’s first renewable Penta, known as Voxtar was launched in 2010. It can reduce carbon footprint by up to 80% compared to fossil alternatives. The addition of two new innovative products; Evyron (partly renewable TMP) and Neeture (partly renewable Neo) will give Perstorp’s customers a clear market advantage in creating pro-environmental low carbon footprint products.

Anna Berggren, Global Market Segment Manager for Resins at Perstorp commented: "The time is right to add two new renewable polyols. The market demand for bio-based material is rapidly increasing due to a strong focus on sustainable chemistry and renewable raw materials. We are committed to our environmental responsibility as well as to helping our customers in their sustainable development. We are dedicated to our pro-environment products, giving prioritized supply for pro-environmental partners at all times."

Perstorp’s commitment to sustainability runs deep in the company led by CEO, Jan Secher. "This launch is a great achievement and I’m very proud of the engagement from our employees. It’s clear that we are looking to make a difference. Sustainability is in the core of everything we do which also makes it a perfect strategic fit."

Perstorp’s new pro-environment portfolio is a great example of how they intend to work towards their 2030 ambition to become Finite Material Neutral. "It is a tough ambition but we have to do it. There is no plan B, because we only have one planet," Jan continues.

Currently Perstorp is devoting 80% of its R&D resources to finding new sustainable solutions and in addition, all Perstorp Swedish plants will switch to using only renewable electricity in 2018. "With the new pro-environment products we are launching at China Coat, we are reaffirming that we believe our molecules can change things for the better", Jan concludes.

The two new Pro-Environment Polyols - Evyron and Neeture - complete the portfolio of the three essential polyols in renewable options. The new portfolio is based on a certified mass balance concept. Mass balance is about mixing fossil and renewable in the same existing systems but keeping track of their quantities and allocating them to specific products. This ensures that the quality and performance of the molecules are exactly the same giving customers a real go-pro-environmental choice.

Perstorp’s Pro-Environment Polyols are all ISCC certified which among other things ensures a traceability of the bio-based raw material back to its country of origin. Anna Berggren highlights: "The bio-based material in our products is sustainably sourced and I am proud to say that Perstorp launches world's first portfolio of renewable polyols. And even better, they will also be the first to become ISCC certified."

Voxtar, Evyron & Neeture is the property of the Perstorp Group and can be subject to registration in many countries.

Sales of the Pro-Environment Polyols will start January 1st, 2018.

As MRC reported previously, in the first half of 2017, Synthomer plc acquired Perstorp Oxo Belgium AB from the Swedish Perstorp Holding AB for EUR 78 million. Perstorp Belgium is a niche additives business serving the decorative and industrial coatings industries. In 2016, the business generated earnings before interest and tax of EUR 8 million and had gross assets of EUR 21 million. The company operates from a single site in Ghent, Belgium, and has 41 employees, who will all be transferred with the business.

Perstorp is one of the world leaders in various sectors of the specialty chemicals market, it's pioneer in formalin chemistry, plastics and surface materials. Perstorp was founded in 1881 and is controlled by PAI partners,a major European private equity company. The company has around 1,500 employees in with 22 production plants in Europe, Asia and North America.
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MOSCOW (MRC) -- Petrofac’s Training Services business and the State Oil Company of the Republic of Azerbaijan (SOCAR) has signed a Shareholders Agreement to form a Joint Venture for the pursuit of training opportunities across the country’s oil & gas and petrochemical industries, as per Petrofac's press release.

Under the Agreement, SOCAR’s stake in the Joint Venture has been determined at 51% and Petrofac’s at 49%. The Shareholders Agreement was signed by SOCAR’s President, Rovnag Abdullayev, and Petrofac’s Global Head of Training Services, Engineering and Production Services, Karim Osseiran.

The Joint Venture will provide tested, contemporary training and educational services for the workers of Azerbaijan’s energy sector and those engaged in energy projects in other countries.

In recent years, SOCAR’s Training, Educational and Certification Department has organised training in accordance with standards of world renowned organisations, such as OPITO and IOSH. In addition to installation of high quality equipment necessary for carrying out this training, the range of skills development offered by SOCAR has increased.

Petrofac brings its extensive experience of designing, building and operating unique training facilities which combine immersive technical training techniques and digital technology. In order to improve the links between academic education and production, the company will also provide capability to develop and assure competence across the HSSE, engineering, construction, operations, maintenance and drilling disciplines.

SOCAR is focused on driving nationalisation initiatives and its experience of establishing and operating energy-related facilities, including training centres, will be fully utilised within the Joint Venture. SOCAR will realise its competitive advantage by having the opportunity to provide training and certification services to personnel of foreign companies, thus utilising the commercial potential of training centres at its disposal.

Karim Osseiran, Global Head of Training Services, Petrofac Engineering and Production Services, speaking at the signing ceremony said: "We are delighted SOCAR has chosen to partner with us. Through our Joint Venture we are combining our industry credentials, local knowledge and depth of capabilities. This will enable us to deliver a step-change in workforce training and competence assurance in support of SOCAR’s nationalisation agenda."

Speaking at the ceremony, SOCAR’s Vice President Khalik Mammadov stated: "This is the next step in transforming oil capital into human capital. We believe establishing a partnership with Petrofac, renowned for the provision of training and development services globally, will be successful for SOCAR and of benefit to the oil and gas industry in Azerbaijan. SOCAR Petrofac will foster a sustainable approach to meeting the demand of the technical workforce in Azerbaijan and the wider region, through supporting local content and nationalisation goals."

As MRC wrote before, in March 2017, SOCAR GPC, a gas-processing project of the State Oil Company of Azerbaijan Republic (SOCAR), selected UNIPOL PE Technology licensed by Univation Technologies for use in its world-scale 600KTA polyethylene plant to be built in Garadagh, Azerbaijan.
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MOSCOW (MRC) -- A joint venture comprising TechnipFMC, Samsung Engineering and Tecnicas Reunidas has bagged a USD4.2bn worth contract from Bahrain Petroleum Company (Bapco) for the expansion and modernization of the Sitra Refinery in Bahrain, said Refiningandpetrochemicals.

Located on Bahrain’s Eastern coast, on the island of Sitra, the crude oil refinery has a current capacity of 267,000 barrels per day (BPD). Through the expansion program, the Sitra oil refinery’s capacity is expected to move up to 360,000BPD.

Apart from the increased capacity, the expansion of the refinery will be carried out to improve energy efficiency, valorization of the heavy part of the crude oil barrel and enhance the products slate. The expansion and modernization of the refinery will be implemented on engineering, procurement, construction and commissioning (EPCC) lump sum turnkey basis and is scheduled to be completed in 2022.

TechnipFMC Onshore Offshore business president Nello Uccelletti said: "We are honored to be the leader of this joint venture entrusted for the execution of this prestigious contract that represent a testimonial of the long-term partnership with Bapco and strengthen our leadership in the refining sector.

"This award is one of the strategic "early engagement" achievement, following the successful completion by TechnipFMC of the FEED contract."

Tecnicas Reunidas, on its part, will carry out detail engineering of complex units of the refinery like the crude unit, hydrocracker, vacuum unit, saturated gas plants 1&2, and other auxiliary facilities. The Spain-based general contractor, which will also take part in the procurement and construction activities for the project, will get USD1.35bn as part of its share.

Tecnicas Reunidas stated: "The investment in refineries upgrade is an ongoing trend in the refining industry, as enhancing profitability is key for maintaining the competitiveness of existing facilities. "Tecnicas Reunidas’ strong execution capabilities in this type of strategic investments, like the one of BMP, are crucial for the development of the oil and gas industry and adds this project to its extended track-record on refining."
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