PE production in Russia remained last year at the level of 2016

December PE production grew to 153,400 tonnes, whereas this figure reached 139,600 tonnes a month earlier. Russian producers of high-density polyethylene (HDPE) increased their capacity utilisation. Overall PE production reached 1,700,000 tonnes in 2017, which is virtually equal to the previous year's figure. 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.

December HDPE production rose to 73,700 tonnes from 63,700 tonnes a month earlier, Stavrolen and Gazprom neftekhim Salavat shut their production capacities for maintenance in November. Russian plants' overall HDPE output reached 898,000 tonnes in 2017, down by 10% year on year.

December LDPE production grew to 61,100 tonnes from 50,100 tonnes in November, Tomskneftekhim increased its output. Overall LDPE production exceeded 661,300 tonnes over the stated period, up by 4% year on year.

Nizhnekamskneftekhim, Russia's only LLDPE producer, almost doubled its output, its total LLDPE production exceeded 141,200 tonnes last year, whereas this figure did not exceed 73,700 tonnes a year earlier.

MRC

MOSCOW (MRC) -- BASF catalysts announced today the commercial launch of Boroflex™, the latest evolution of its residuum (resid) oil Fluid Catalytic Cracking (FCC) catalysts for the refining market, as per Hydrocarbonprocessing.

Boroflex is based on BASF’s unique Boron-Based Technology (BBT), and is designed to optimize refiners’ bottoms upgrading and distillate yields by providing maximum nickel contamination passivation.

Boroflex commercial trials have confirmed its ability to deliver better bottoms upgrading and high distillate yields that increase refiners’ profitability to meet market demand for refined products. It is proven to deliver other BBT-related benefits, such as nickel passivation, and lower coke and hydrogen.

“It is unique to introduce real step-change technologies into the FCC market. Thanks to our BBT platform, we are able to expand the portfolio for our customers with such innovative products,” said Detlef Ruff, BASF Senior Vice President, Process Catalysts. “Boroflex, the latest evolution of this technology, demonstrates our ongoing commitment to delivering innovative catalyst solutions for improved FCC unit performance, which results in more value for our customers."

“Boroflex is an example of BASF’s ability to accelerate our speed to market with new product innovation,” said Jim Chirumbole, BASF Vice President, Refining Catalysts. “In our refinery trials, Boroflex showed the capability to increase yields and to exceed the bottoms upgrading performance of other products in the resid cracking market. We are really glad to offer now another innovative FCC catalyst that can make refiners all over the world more successful."

Boroflex for superior bottoms upgrading is the third BBT product successfully introduced to optimize global refinery operations since the introduction of the innovative platform. BoroCat™, presented in 2016, enables maximum conversion for gasoline in FCC Units with high resid feed metals via improved metals passivation and operational flexibility. The product was awarded the 2017 Hydrocarbon Processing Award for best catalyst technology and the 2017 Thomas Alva Edison Patent Award for outstanding environmental contributions. In 2017, BASF introduced Borotec™ to provide refiners maximum conversion and high operating flexibility for use in FCC units with moderate resid feed metals or changing feed quality.
MRC

MOSCOW (MRC) -- Trinseo, a global materials company and manufacturer of plastics, latex binders and synthetic rubber, and its affiliate companies in Europe have announced price increases for all polystyrene (PS), polycarbonate (PC), acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene (ABS) and acrylonitrile styrene copolymer (SAN) grades, as per the company's press release.

Effective February 1, 2018, or as existing contract terms allow, the contract and spot prices for the products listed below will increase as follows:

- STYRON general purpose polystyrene grades (GPPS) - by EUR135 per metric ton;
- STYRON and STYRON A-Tech high impact polystyrene grades (HIPS) - by EUR135 per metric ton;
- CALIBRE PC resins - by EUR150 per metric ton;
- MAGNUM ABS resins - by EUR100 per metric ton;
- TYRIL SAN resins - by EUR120 per metric ton.

As MRC informed before, Trinseo last raised its prices for all PS, ABS, SAN and PC grades on 1 January 2018, as stated below:

- STYRON GPPS, STYRON and STYRON A-TECH HIPS - by EUR110 per metric ton;
- MAGNUM ABS resins - by EUR105 per metric ton;
- TYRIL SAN resins - by EUR90 per metric ton;
- CALIBRE PC resins - by EUR220 per metric ton.

Trinseo is a global materials company and manufacturer of plastics, latex and rubber. Trinseo's technology is used by customers in industries such as home appliances, automotive, building & construction, carpet, consumer electronics, consumer goods, electrical & lighting, medical, packaging, paper & paperboard, rubber goods and tires. Formerly known as Styron, Trinseo completed its renaming process in 1Q 2015. Trinseo had approximately USD4.0 billion in revenue in 2015, with 18 manufacturing sites around the world, and more than 2,200 employees.
MRC

MOSCOW (MRC) - Kuwait Petroleum Corp expects to spend over USD500 billion as it boosts its crude oil production capacity to 4.75 MMbpd in 2040, the national oil firm said on Wednesday, outlining ambitious growth plans for the next two decades, as per Hydrocarbonprocessing.

"KPC is expected to spend USD114 billion in capex over the next five years and an additional USD394 billion beyond that to 2040," Chief Executive Nizar al-Adsani told an oil industry conference.

Kuwait's current oil production capacity is around 3.15 MM bpd. It revealed the plan to lift capacity to 4.75 MMbpd early last year. The figure would exceed the current output of Iraq and Iran, OPEC's second and third biggest oil nations, whose production was 4.4 million and 3.8 million bpd respectively in December.

Iraq and Iran plan to raise output steeply in the coming years to compete with OPEC leader Saudi Arabia, which produces around 10 MMbpd and has capacity of over 12 MMbpd. However, Iraq and Iraq are running far behind their targets to expand output because of infrastructure constraints, red tape and in the case of Iran, the threat of Western sanctions.

The move by Kuwait to expand capacity signals a willingness among OPEC producers to fight for market share in the long term as global oil demand rises and as the organisation faces competition from Russia and two fast-emerging oil superpowers, the United States and Brazil.

Adsani also told the conference that KPC intended to lift domestic oil refining capacity to 2.0 MMbpd by 2035, while ensuring maximum offtake of domestic heavy oil production and taking into consideration the need to meet local energy demand.
MRC

MOSCOW (MRC) -- BASF catalysts announced the commercial launch of Boroflex, the latest evolution of its residuum (resid) oil Fluid Catalytic Cracking (FCC) catalysts for the refining market. Boroflex is based on BASF’s unique Boron-Based Technology (BBT), and is designed to optimize refiners’ bottoms upgrading and distillate yields by providing maximum nickel contamination passivation, as per Hydrocarbonprocessing.

Boroflex commercial trials have confirmed its ability to deliver better bottoms upgrading and high distillate yields that increase refiners’ profitability to meet market demand for refined products. It is proven to deliver other BBT-related benefits, such as nickel passivation, and lower coke and hydrogen.

“It is unique to introduce real step-change technologies into the FCC market. Thanks to our BBT platform, we are able to expand the portfolio for our customers with such innovative products,” said Detlef Ruff, BASF Senior Vice President, Process Catalysts. “Boroflex, the latest evolution of this technology, demonstrates our ongoing commitment to delivering innovative catalyst solutions for improved FCC unit performance, which results in more value for our customers."

"Boroflex is an example of BASF’s ability to accelerate our speed to market with new product innovation,” said Jim Chirumbole, BASF Vice President, Refining Catalysts. “In our refinery trials, Boroflex showed the capability to increase yields and to exceed the bottoms upgrading performance of other products in the resid cracking market. We are really glad to offer now another innovative FCC catalyst that can make refiners all over the world more successful."

Boroflex for superior bottoms upgrading is the third BBT product successfully introduced to optimize global refinery operations since the introduction of the innovative platform. BoroCat™, presented in 2016, enables maximum conversion for gasoline in FCC Units with high resid feed metals via improved metals passivation and operational flexibility. The product was awarded the 2017 Hydrocarbon Processing Award for best catalyst technology and the 2017 Thomas Alva Edison Patent Award for outstanding environmental contributions. In 2017, BASF introduced Borotec™ to provide refiners maximum conversion and high operating flexibility for use in FCC units with moderate resid feed metals or changing feed quality.
MRC