CNPC to start operating expanded north China refinery in Oct

MOSCOW (MRC) -- China’s CNPC is expected to start operating an expanded refinery in northern China with an annual processing capacity of 10 million tonnes (200,000 barrels per day) in October, the state oil firm said, as per Hydrocarbonprocessing.

The refinery previously had a capacity of 100 Mbpd. The Huabei Petrochemical plant, in Renqiu of Hebei province, will supply the capital city of Beijing with premium gasoline "Jing six", with quality higher than Euro five, as well as aviation fuel to the new Beijing airport.

A pipeline to supply jet fuel to the new Beijing airport, in the southern suburb of Daxing, is expected to be completed at the end of September, CNPC said.

CNPC is also adding a refined fuel pipeline connecting Fushun and Jinzhou, both in northeast Liaoning province, and a separate pipeline linking Jinzhou with central Chinese city of Zhengzhou. The state firm operates two refineries in Jinzhou.
MRC

Trafigura closes the acquisition of Pampa Energía downstream assets in Argentina

MOSCOW (MRC) -- The Trafigura Group Pte Ltd, (Trafigura), one of the world’s leading independent commodities trading companies, has completed the acquisition of the majority of the downstream assets of Pampa Energia SA, as per Hydrocarbonprocessing.

These assets include more than 250 service stations and the Ricardo Elicabe refinery (BBR) located in Bahia Blanca.

Trafigura’s current operations in Argentina include a fluvial fleet and the Campana Terminal which supplies the Argentinian, Paraguayan and Bolivian markets with diesel and gasoline via the Parana River. It is also rapidly developing a network of retail service stations across Argentina under the Puma Energy brand.

The transfer of the assets and rebranding of the 250 service stations will be progressive and rolled out over the coming months.
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Meridian Energy preparing to start construction on proposed Davis Refinery

MOSCOW (MRC) -- Meridian Energy is planning to build the new oil refinery at Belfield has hired an engineering and construction firm to complete the "front-end engineering and design" study for the refinery, according to Hydrocarbonprocessing.

It’s being done in anticipation of the state Health Department giving the company the permit to construct the refinery. "We are fairly certain there will be no substantial changes to that permit from the draft that was issued in December," said Meridian CEO William Prentice.

Prentice said he expects the final permits will be issued soon.

"The state has declared, and it’s proper, that it will take its time to do this right,Є Prentice said in an interview. "They’re obviously aware of the benefits of the project. Prentice said he’s confident the final decision will come out "in a matter of weeks."

"We just don’t understand what additional delays there could be," Prentice said. “But it’s beyond our control."

Prentice said his company went through the substantial number of public comments received in the hearing process. "Nothing we received indicated to us there would be substantial changes to the air quality permit draft," Prentice said. "That allows us to finish up the engineering, and be ready to begin construction as soon as that permit is issued."

Prentice said the initial phase - the 27,500 barrel refinery - should be completed by the middle of 2019. He said Meridian could go up to 50,000 barrels a day without requesting a new permit. But he said if the company sees more need for expansion beyond that, it would file for a new permit.
MRC

SIBUR reports Q1 2018 IFRS results

MOSCOW (MRC) -- In the first quarter of 2018, SIBUR’s gas processing plants (GPPs) processed 5.6 billion cubic metres2 of APG, an increase of 2.3% year-on-year. As a result, production of natural gas totaled 4.8 billion cubic metres2, as per the company's press release.

Raw NGL fractionation volumes increased by 9% year-on-year to 2.2 million tonnes1.

In the first quarter of 2018, SIBUR’s sales volumes of liquid hydrocarbons increased by 18.3% year-on-year and totaled 1.5 million tonnes, while natural gas sales volumes increased by 1.9% year-on-year and totaled 4.5 billion cubic metres.

In the first quarter of 2018, polyolefin sales volumes increased by 3.2% and reached 210 thousand tonnes, while sales of plastics and organic synthesis products increased by 2.2% to 197 thousand tonnes year-on-year on higher capacity load.

In the first quarter of 2018, SIBUR’s gas processing plants (GPPs) processed 5.6 billion cubic metres2 of APG, an increase of 2.3% year-on-year. As a result, production of natural gas totaled 4.8 billion cubic metres2.. Raw NGL fractionation volumes increased by 9% year-on-year to 2.2 million tonnes1.

In the first quarter of 2018, SIBUR’s sales volumes of liquid hydrocarbons increased by 18.3% year-on-year and totaled 1.5 million tonnes, while natural gas sales volumes increased by 1.9% year-on-year and totaled 4.5 billion cubic metres.

In the first quarter of 2018, polyolefin sales volumes increased by 3.2% and reached 210 thousand tonnes, while sales of plastics and organic synthesis products increased by 2.2% to 197 thousand tonnes year-on-year on higher capacity load.
MRC

Lubrizol extends shelf life of its Pearlstick TPU portfolio

MOSCOW (MRC) -- Lubrizol has announced that it has extended the shelf life of its Pearlstick TPU series for solvent-based adhesives up to 36 months (when stored under controlled conditions), as per GV.

The series is used, for example, in applications in the textile, automotive, footwear and furniture industries. Furthermore, the company announced that its portfolio has been extended with new products that meet Oeko-tex compliance grade requirements.

According to Lubrizol, recent developments have increased the number of Pearlstick TPU resins for solvent-based adhesives which are Oeko-tex-compliant. This also applies to most of the solvent-free Pearlbond TPU resins for hot melt adhesives (HMA), said the company. These products address the growing demand for materials that have successfully passed testing for compliance with regulatory requirements such as Oeko-tex, in the textile industry.

"As the market leader in TPU and in TPU for adhesives applications, we are continuously improving our polymers and product range. In adhesives, our focus goes beyond finding more environmentally-friendly materials or enhancing properties such as thermoplasticity or green strength," stated Jane Cai, regional business director, Lubrizol Engineered Polymers, Asia Pacific. "It also includes increased shelf life for better supply chain management across the value chain. Adhesive applications in the textile industry are growing in line with process automation, as is the need for multifunctional materials. Our innovation efforts are focused on enabling both."

As MRC wrote previously, in February 2016, speciality chemicals major Lubrizol Corporation announced the commencement of its USD50 million chlorinated polyvinyl chloride (CPVC) compounding plant in Dahej. This was the company's first CPVC compounding plant in the country, and it claimed that it is the first such in India by any global major. The plant has a capacity to produce nearly 55,000 tonnes of compounds annually. The company has invested over USD50 million (Rs325 crore) on this facility.

The Lubrizol Corporation, a Berkshire Hathaway company, is an innovative specialty chemical company that apart from its production develops and supplies technologies to customers in the global transportation, industrial and consumer markets. Lubrizol's advanced polymer technology delivers exceptional performance for the plumbing, fire sprinkler, industrial and other building and construction related applications. Lubrizol is providing innovative solutions for its customers" high-performance application needs and remains committed to ongoing investment in its CPVC capabilities that support future growth. With headquarters in Wickliffe, Ohio, Lubrizol owns and operates manufacturing facilities in 17 countries, and sales and technical offices around the world. Founded in 1928, Lubrizol has approximately 8,300 employees worldwide. Revenues for 2016 were USD6.5 billion.
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