Kuwait inspecting damage after refinery fire

MOSCOW (MRC) -- Kuwaiti state oil company officials are inspecting damage after a refinery fire at the Mina Abdullah complex, state news agency KUNA said on after the incident that did not affect production, as per Hydrocarbonprocessing.

Kuwait Petroleum Corp said on Wednesday morning that a fire had erupted overnight, saying it started at a kerosene unit and that a mechanical failure at one of the pumps was the likely cause.

As MRC informed earlier, in November 2018, Kuwait Petroleum Co prepared a study to transform its al-Zour refinery into a commercial one to increase its profitability.
MRC

MOSCOW (MRC) -- The Ercros factory in Cerdanyola has expanded the production capacity of moulding compounds by 3,000 t/year, which represents an increase of 14% to reach 25,000 t/year, said the company.

The thermostable moulding compounds manufactured in Cerdanyola have applications in very diverse sectors; can be used in the manufacture of electrical appliances, such as switches and plugs; of toilet seats and covers and other sanitary accessories; caps for the cosmetics and perfume industry; of buttons, tableware and trays, etc.

85% of its production is exported to more than 30 countries around the world. The greater volume of moulding compounds that this expansion allows is entirely destined to the foreign market, with the objective of consolidating and expanding the Ercros presence in America, Europe and Asia. The company is the only producer of this range in Spain. It occupies the first position in sales in the Spanish market; the second in Europe; and the third in the rest of the world.

The project carried out to expand the production capacity of moulding compounds has been developed by the Ercros R&D and engineering departments, and involves a significant improvement in the final product, since it has allowed Carbaicar HD quality to practically all the production; this quality offers high benefits that improve the productivity of customers.

The Cerdanyola factory has also increased its degree of digitization and automation, in order to improve its competitiveness.

In March 2019, Ercros factory in Tortosa launched an expansion of its production capacity of polyols in order to meet the growing demand that this product range has in the market.
MRC

MOSCOW (MRC) -- Chevron Lummus Global LLC (CLG) announced that it has been awarded a contract by Chennai Petroleum Corporation Limited (CPCL) for the license and basic engineering design of a 2,500 KTA delayed coker at its planned Cauvery Basin Refinery at Nagapattinam in Tamilnadu, India, accoridng to Hydrocarbonprocessing.

The unit will utilize the proprietary CLG delayed coking technology which maximizes value from the vacuum residue stream.

This is the second delayed coker unit licensed to CPCL by CLG and represents continued trust in the advanced delayed coking technology by CPCL. CLG’s coking technology maximizes liquid products yield from vacuum residue feedstocks and provides a high flexibility to process challenging crudes to deliver higher refining margins.

As MRC wrote before, in later March 2019, Chevron Lummus Global announced successful start-up of RDS Unit in Vietnam. Thus, Nghi Son Refinery & Petrochemical LLC (NSRP) - a joint venture between PetroVietnam, Idemitsu Kosan, Kuwait Petroleum Europe, and Mitsui Chemicals has recently started up a large residuum hydrodesulfurization (RHDS) unit at its new 200,000 barrels per day refinery in Thanh Hoa Province in northern Vietnam. The 105,000 barrels per day RHDS unit started up in May 2018 and passed performance guarantees in December 2018, Chevron Lummus Global (CLG) reported.

Chevron Lummus Global (CLG), a joint venture between Chevron USA Inc. and McDermott, is a leading process technology licensor for refining hydroprocessing technologies and alternative source fuels, as well as a global leader in catalyst system supply. CLG offers the most complete bottom-of-the-barrel solution for upgrading heavy oil residues. Our research and development experts are continuously seeking advancements in technology and catalysts that will improve operating economics for your next project.
MRC

MOSCOW (MRC) -- Avantium has decided to locate the new demonstration plant for its Mekong technology in Chemie Park Delfzijl, the Netherlands, said the company.

The construction of the demonstration plant - with a capacity of around 10 tons of plant-based mono-ethylene glycol (MEG) - is on track, with the opening scheduled for the second half of 2019. This is an important step in commercializing the production of plant-based MEG, a fossil-free raw material for products such as plastic materials and textiles.

Avantium develops novel Renewable Chemistry technologies that use renewable carbon sources instead of fossil resources. One such technology is Mekong, which delivers an environmentally sustainable plant-based alternative for MEG, producing it in a single-step process from industrial sugars. Today, more than 99% of MEG is produced from fossil-based raw materials, with a market value of about USD25 billion. The Mekong technology aims to produce plant-based MEG that is chemically identical to fossil-based MEG and competitive in terms of cost and quality. The construction of the Mekong demonstration plant is part of Avantium’s strategy to invest in developing and scaling up breakthrough Renewable Chemistries technologies.

A key factor behind the decision to build the Mekong plant in Delfzijl is a EUR2 million grant from the European Regional Development Fund, facilitated by Partnership Northern Netherlands (Samenwerkingsverband Noord-Nederland). This grant aims to accelerate innovation in the quest for a low-carbon economy.

Avantium N.V., a chemical technology company, provides catalysis services and systems to oil, gas, chemical, and renewable industries in the Netherlands. The company operates through Catalysis and Renewable Chemistries segments. It offers Flowrence XD, a catalyst testing system for testing extrudates and powders; Flowrence, a parallel fixed bed reactor system for testing extrudates and sieve fractions of catalysts, as well as handles H2, N2, O2, light hydrocarbons, CO, CO2, NH3, H2S, steam and other gases, aqueous solutions, solvents, acids, and refinery fractions; and contract research, quality control, and refining catalyst testing services.
MRC

MOSCOW (MRC) -- Clariant, a world leader in specialty chemicals, has announced the successful performance of its StyroMax UL3 ethylbenzene dehydrogenation catalyst at the styrene monomer production facility of Shandong Yuhuang Chemical (Group) Company, as per Hydrocarbonprocessig.

Located in Heze City, Shandong Province, China, the facility began start-up of the catalyst in March 2018, and already reports highly satisfactory results, with increased yields and greater production efficiency.

"Over the past ten months, the catalyst has demonstrated outstanding results," said Mr. Yandong Zhang, General Manager of Shandong Heze Yuhuang Chemical Co. Ltd. "The productivity of our styrene monomer reached 120% of designed capacity within 3 months of start-up. We achieved nameplate capacity much more quickly than any other catalyst, and we attribute this success to the performance of StyroMax UL3, as well as the engineering support provided by Clariant Catalysts for optimal operational performance."

The Shandong Yuhuang styrene monomer production unit has improved productivity by 50 kilotons/year, which represents a value of approximately USD13 million. Furthermore, the catalyst achieved this favorable performance at a stable steam-to-oil ratio as low as 1.1 by weight, thereby providing additional savings of around USD2.5 million from reduced steam consumption. As StyroMax UL3 is expected to continue its strong performance, Shandong Yuhuang anticipates a total savings of more than USD15 million annually.

Founded in 1986, Shandong Yuhuang has developed from a small private plant into a large, privately-owned company with 5 production locations, 15 subsidiaries, and more than 5000 employees. The company’s main products include styrene, gasoline, diesel, MTBE, DME, isobutylene, polystyrene, and polypropylene, among others. As a quickly-growing manufacturer of chemicals and plastics, Shandong Yuhuang is continually looking at innovative solutions to drive down costs.

Introduced in 2016, StyroMax UL3 was developed to reduce process expenses for styrene producers operating at ultra-low steam-to-oil ratios. Whereas previous catalysts could offer either high activity or selectivity at such conditions, StyroMax UL3 is the first catalyst to offer both. Its activity increases styrene monomer yields, while its improved selectivity minimizes the formation of by-products, such as toluene and benzene, which are typically less valuable than styrene monomer. Due to its suitability for ultra-low steam-to-oil ratio operation (approx. 1.0 by weight ratio), the catalyst reduces steam consumption, thus enabling a far more sustainable and economical means of styrene production.

In addition, Clariant Catalysts also offers its customers dedicated engineering support. This includes start-up services when the plant is first placed online, and subsequent assistance to maintain optimum operation performance of catalysts, as well as onsite troubleshooting services when required.

“We are honored to partner with Shandong Yuhuang as an industrial reference in China for StyroMax UL3 and are delighted that the results match both our high expectations. Besides the economic advantages presented by the catalyst, we are pleased that our technical service support is another key factor customers choose to work with us," Stefan Heuser, Senior Vice President and General Manager Business Unit Catalysts at Clariant said.

As MRC reported earlier, in March 2017, Clariant announced that it had been awarded a contract by Dongguan Grand Resource Science & Technology Co. Ltd. to develop a new propane dehydrogenation unit in cooperation with CB&I. The project includes the license and engineering design of the unit, which is to be built in Dongguan City, Guangdong Province, China.

Clariant AG is a Swiss chemical company and a world leader in the production of specialty chemicals for the textile, printing, mining and metallurgical industries. It is engaged in processing crude oil products in pigments, plastics and paints.
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