LDPE units brought on-stream by Sinopec Shanghai

MOSCOW (MRC) -- Sinopec Shanghai Petrochemical has completed turnaround at its Low density polyethylene (LDPE) units, as per Apic-online.

A Polymerupdate source in China informed that the company has resumed operations at the units on September 10, 2018 following a maintenance turnaround. The units were shut for maintenance in May 7, 2018.

Located at Shanghai in China, the company operates two LDPE units with a production capacity of 45,000 mt/year each.

As MRC wrote before, in H2 April, 2018, Sinopec Shanghai Petrochemical conducted a 10-day maintenance at its LDPE unit No. 3 in Shanghai. Located at Shanghai in China, the No.3 LDPE unit has a production capacity of 120,000 mt/year.

China Petroleum & Chemical Corporation, or Sinopec Limited is a Chinese oil and gas company based in Beijing, China. It is listed in Hong Kong and also trades in Shanghai and New York . Sinopec is the worlds fifth biggest company by revenue.
MRC

Dow Chemical expands glycol ethers and alkoxylates

MOSCOW (MRC) -- Dow Chemical, part of the merged DowDuPont group, has announced plans to increase capacity for glycol ethers and alkoxylates to meet rising demand, said Chemanager-online.

With regard to glycol ethers, a series of phased incremental investments will eventually double global output of Dow’s select p-series and performance product lines, including Dowanol. Starting in 2018, seven debottlenecking and expansion projects will take place over the next several years, with the first incremental capacity becoming available by the end of 2019. Details on site locations and capacities were not disclosed.

Glycol ethers are used to improve the performance and reduce the health and environmental impacts of end products in various applications. According to Dow, demand for glycol ethers continues to rise as a result of urbanization, a growing middle class, evolving and stricter regulations and increasing sustainability challenges.

The company will also invest in an alkoxylation facility at an undisclosed location on the US Gulf Coast. Start-up is expected by the end of 2021. Dow said the new capacity will support global growth in its core end-markets of infrastructure and home and personal care, along with strengthening market position for brands such as Triton,Tergitol and Ecsorf surfactants and Carbowax Sentry excipients/APIs.
MRC

China to build new ethylene complexes in petrochemical wave

MOSCOW (MRC) - China, the world's top chemicals consumer, is building and planning a total of 13 ethylene complexes between now and 2023, in the biggest wave of petrochemical expansions in its history, according to Hydrocarbonprocessing.

China is allowing greater access by global majors and local independents to its massive chemicals market to feed plastics, coatings and adhesives to the fast-growing consumer electronics and automotive sectors, as well as polyesters for clothing.

As MRC reported earlier, in May 2018, China National Offshore Oil Corporation (CNOOC) and Shell Nanhai B.V. (Shell) announced the official start-up of the second ethylene cracker at their Nanhai petrochemicals complex in Huizhou, Guangdong Province, China. Several linked derivative units had also started up and the remaining units will start up progressively over the next few weeks. These new units were constructed by CNOOC and are owned and operated by the existing CNOOC and Shell Petrochemical Company (CSPC) joint venture.

The new ethylene cracker increases ethylene capacity at the complex by around 1.2 million tonnes per year, more than doubling the capacity of the complex, and benefits from a deep integration with adjacent CNOOC refineries. The new facility will also include a styrene monomer and propylene oxide (SMPO) plant, which will be the largest in China when it begins operations.
MRC

EPA approves emergency fuel waiver for North Carolina and South Carolina

MOSCOW (MRC) -- In preparation for Hurricane Florence, US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Acting Administrator Andrew Wheeler approved emergency fuel waiver requests made this afternoon on behalf of North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper and South Carolina Governor Henry McMaster, as per Hydrocarbonprocessing.

Acting Administrator Wheeler quickly determined that extreme and unusual fuel supply circumstances exist in portions of North Carolina and South Carolina as a result of the approaching hurricane, and has granted a temporary waiver to help ensure that an adequate supply of gasoline is available in the affected areas until normal supply to the region can be restored.

EPA has waived the federal Reid vapor pressure requirements for fuel sold in designated areas in North Carolina and South Carolina to minimize problems with the supply of gasoline. This waiver will continue through September 15, 2018, which is the end of the summer fuel season in these designated areas. EPA has also waived the prohibition on the blending of reformulated gasoline blendstock for oxygenated blending with other gasoline blendstock or oxygenate. This waiver of the comingling prohibition is effective through October 1, 2018.

The Clear Air Act allows EPA Acting Administrator Andrew Wheeler, in consultation with US Department of Energy (DOE) Secretary Rick Perry, to waive certain fuel requirements to address shortages that could occur as a result of a hurricane.

As required by law, EPA and DOE evaluated the situation and determined that granting a short-term waiver was consistent with the public interest. EPA and DOE are continuing to actively monitor the fuel supply situation resulting from Hurricane Florence, and will act expeditiously if extreme and unusual supply circumstances exist in other areas.

To mitigate any impacts on air quality, the Clean Air Act provides strict criteria for when fuels waivers may be granted, and requires that waivers be limited as much as possible in terms of their geographic scope and duration.
MRC

LDPE unit brought on-stream by Sinopec Maoming

MOSCOW (MRC) -- Sinopec Maoming Petrochemical has restarted its No. 1 low density polyethylene (LDPE) unit following a brief maintenance, as per Apic-online.

A Polymerupdate source in China informed that the company has resumed operations at the unit over the weekend. The unit was shut for a maintenance turnaround on August 30, 2018.

Located at Guangdong in China, the No. 1 unit has a production capacity of 120,000 mt/year.

As MRC wrote earlier, Sinopec Maoming Petrochemical shut its No. 2 LDPE unit for a brief maintenance on July 14, 2018. It resumed production on July 19, 2018. Located at Guangdong in China, the No. 2 unit has a production capacity of 280,000 mt/year.

China Petroleum & Chemical Corporation, or Sinopec Limited is a Chinese oil and gas company based in Beijing, China. It is listed in Hong Kong and also trades in Shanghai and New York . Sinopec is the worlds fifth biggest company by revenue.
MRC