XOS launches first XRF Benchtop Autosampler with sample tracking and continuous flow

MOSCOW (MRC) – XOS announced the worldwide release of Petra Series Autosampler, an automatic sampler with sample tracking and continuous sample loading. The autosampler is an add-on feature to the Petra MAX and Petra 4294 analyzers launched by XOS in 2017, as per Hydrocarbonprocessing.

Michael Palmer, Vice President of Sales for XOS, believes this will deliver the flexible and efficient workflow that users want and need. "After speaking with dozens of customers about the drawbacks of their carousel autosamplers, we created a novel design with sample tracking, continuous sample loading and customizable software features. This is truly the next-generation autosampler."

Typical XRF benchtop automatic sampler systems, often known as a “carousel”, require users to manually enter each sample name into the system. This can result in data errors and in turn, rework. In addition, once the carousel has been loaded, it cannot be interrupted until the analyzer has finished analysis. This is not an ideal process for third-party test labs who work in a fast-paced environment and often receive urgent sample requests.

With the new Petra Series Autosampler, users simply scan the QR-coded sample cup with a handheld scanner and the analyzer scans the sample again when it reaches the measurement chamber, ensuring the correct sample name and measurement parameters are paired with results. Users can eliminate data errors and add urgent samples to the queue as needed. The Autosampler is an optional add-on feature and users have the option to use X-ID Sample Cups (QR-coded) or standard XRF cups.

Along with this launch, XOS is rolling out new Gen 4 software upgrade for Petra Series. This release offers novel features for a simple, intuitive operation including preset measurement configurations, streamlined custom calibration set-up, enhanced LIMS compatibility, and additional matrices like water and catalysts.
MRC

MOSCOW (MRC) -- PJSC SIBUR Holding, Russia’s largest integrated petrochemicals company, announces the successful completion of the tender offer announced on 9 October 2018 to purchase part of the USD 500 m Eurobond notes issued in October 2017 and maturing in 2023 with a coupon rate of 4.125% per annum, said the company.

As part of the offer, the Company accepted for purchase an aggregate principal amount of Eurobonds equal to USD 192,023,000 at a price of 97.4% of the par value. The buyback price was set at a premium to the notes’ market price as at the time of the tender offer announcement. Most of the tendered Eurobond notes came from Russian holders. The Company used excess liquidity coming from its steadily growing cash flow to finance the transaction.

Alexander Petrov, member of the Management Board and Managing Director for Economics and Finance, commented: "We are well positioned to manage the Company’s debt and efficiently deploy available liquidity thanks to SIBUR’s stable operating cash flow generation and access to long-term financing, which secures financing of the ZapSibNeftekhim construction project. Hence, SIBUR decided to benefit from the favourable securities market environment to optimise its debt portfolio."

Citigroup Global Markets Limited and J.P. Morgan Securities PLC acted as dealer managers under the transaction. The buyback is performed by Sibur Securities DAC (the “Issuer”, a 100% subsidiary of PJSC SIBUR Holding) on behalf of PJSC SIBUR Holding (the “Guarantor”).

Settlement is expected to take place on 19 October 2018.
MRC

MOSCOW (MRC) -- Motiva Enterprises shut the gasoline-producing fluidic catalytic cracking unit (FCCU) at its 603,000 barrel-per-day (bpd) Port Arthur, Texas, refinery to fix a mechanical problem, reported Hydrocarbonprocessing with reference to sources familiar with plant operations.

The refinery's 18,000-bpd alkylation unit is also out of production while the FCCU repairs are underway, the sources said. There is no time frame for completion of the work.

As MRC informed before, in mid-July 2018, Motiva Enterprises completed repairs to the FCCU at its 603,000 barrel per day (bpd) Port Arthur, Texas.

Besides, later, on 27 August 2018, Motiva Enterprises returned the gasoline-producing, alkylation and small coking units to normal operation at its 603,000 bpd Port Arthur, Texas, refinery, the nation’s largest. The 82,000 bpd gasoline-producing fluidic catalytic cracking unit (FCCU 3) and the 18,000-bpd alkylation units were knocked out of production on 26 August by a malfunction. The units began restarting at night on the same day.

Motiva is a subsidiary of Saudi Aramco, Saudi Arabia’s national oil company.
MRC

MOSCOW (MRC) - India hopes to invite bids in three to four months to fill a storage facility in southern India with 19 million barrels of oil, the chief executive of Indian Strategic Petroleum Reserve Ltd said, Reuters

The company will be inviting bids for crude for the Padur strategic petroleum reserve in the southern state of Karnataka which can hold 2.5 million tonnes of oil, Chief Executive H.P.S. Ahuja said.

The Padur site located is about 5 km (3 miles) from the coast and 40 km from Mangalore Refinery and Petrochemicals Ltd’s refinery.

India has strategic petroleum storage facilities at three locations in southern India with a combined capacity of 5.33 million tonnes.
MRC

MOSCOW (MRC) -- Russia's largest oil producer Rosneft, which owns downstream assets in Germany including stakes in a number of oil refineries, plans to invest around EUR600 million (USD690 million) in the German downstream market, reported Reuters with reference to Russian government documents.

As MRC informed before, in January 2017, Russia's Rosneft and its shareholder BP completed dissolution of Ruhr Oel, their refining joint venture in Germany. Rosneft said with the restructuring it had embarked on developing its own business in Germany and had created a new subsidiary called Rosneft Deutschland.

The deal allowed Rosneft to gain control over more than 12 percent of Germany's oil refining market with annual refining capacity of 12.5 million tonnes. Rosneft also became a direct shareholder in the Bayernoil refinery, increasing its stake in it to 25 percent from 12.5 percent. It also raised it stake in the MiRO refinery to 24 percent from 12 percent and in the PCK refinery to 54.17 percent from 35.42 percent. For its part, BP took 100 percent control of the Gelsenkirchen refinery and DHC Solvent Chemie, a solvent production facility.

Rosneft became Russia's largest publicly traded oil company in March 2013 after the USD55 billion takeover of TNK-BP, which was Russia’s third-largest oil producer at the time.
MRC