Petrofac opens new training centre in Algeria

MOSCOW (MRC) -- Petrofac has inaugurated its construction skills training centre in Hassi Messaoud, Southern Algeria, following the completion of a programme to upgrade the centre’s facilities, said Hydrocarbonprocessing.

The centre will provide training for the next generation of Algeria’s oil and gas industry workforce, with a capacity to train up to 400 Algerian delegates annually. The centre was designed, built and will be operated by Petrofac, as part of the company’s commitment to the development of local skills. Petrofac has been active in Algeria since 1997, with more than 85% of its in-country workforce sourced locally.

The training centre’s facilities include modern, well equipped, air-conditioned classrooms and large open workshops with state-of-the art equipment. The curriculum covers five specialist trade areas – Instrumentation, Electrical, Mechanical, Pipework and Welding – all with a strong emphasis on health and safety. An applied training methodology will provide students with the theoretical knowledge and essential practical skills they need to work in their chosen professional discipline upon graduation.

The inauguration ceremony, which included a guided tour of the facilities, was attended by local government and authority representatives, along with officials from the oil and gas industry.

Graham Mac Millan, Senior Vice President – North Africa, said: “We are delighted to mark the relaunch and modernisation of this important facility which will deliver best-in-class technical training for the young people of Algeria. The first group of 45 trainees are now developing vital construction skills at the centre. Training enables Petrofac to transfer the company’s deep knowledge and experience in key trades to the local supply chain, which consequently improves the safety and quality of our own projects and of those throughout Algeria. Petrofac is an active and engaged company, and we are keen to participate in future developments in Algeria and maintain our longstanding presence in-country."
MRC

ADNOC Group CEO meets Russian Minister of Energy in Moscow

MOSCOW (MRC) -- Dr Sultan Ahmed Al Jaber, UAE Minister of State and Group CEO of the Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC) met with Alexander Novak, Minister of Energy of the Russian Federation, during a visit to Moscow, as ADNOC explores opportunities to expand its strategic partnership and investment base across its entire value chain, said Hydrocarbonprocessing.

During the meeting, Dr Al Jaber conveyed the greetings of the UAE leadership to the government and people of Russia and reaffirmed the deep-rooted ties between both countries, stressing the keenness of the UAE to strengthen bilateral relations. Bilateral trade between Russia and the UAE topped 11 billion AED last year, a 21% increase on the previous year. Relations were further strengthened last year when Sheikh Mohammad Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces met President Putin and both leaders signed a declaration of strategic partnership covering political, security and economic spheres.

In this meeting, Dr Al Jaber noted his appreciation for Russia’s role in the OPEC/ Non OPEC Cooperation Agreement, which continues to have a positive impact on balancing oil markets. Dr Al Jaber elaborated on ADNOC’s ongoing transformation, centred on maximising value, and expanding the company’s strategic partnership base to stay ahead of the world’s growing demand for energy.

Dr Al Jaber said: “This visit reflects the strong and friendly ties between the UAE and Russia. As our countries continue to build on strong trade relations, there is significant potential for collaboration in the energy sector. ADNOC is open to exploring partnership and co-investment opportunities with Russian energy companies across the full value chain where they make economic sense and drive significant returns for both sides.

"As we respond to the evolving energy landscape, driven by growing demand particularly in Asia, ADNOC is forging ties with new partners from around the world, who share our creative vision and are prepared to put skin in the game through capital, technology and market access."
MRC

LyondellBasell announces final results of modified Dutch Auction tender offer

MOSCOW (MRC) -- LyondellBasell has announced the final results of its "modified Dutch Auction" tender offer, which expired one minute after 11:59 p.m., New York City time, on July 8, 2019, as per the company's press release.

Based on the final count by Computershare Trust Company, N.A., the depositary for the tender offer (the "Depositary"), a total of 35,144,596 shares of LyondellBasell's ordinary shares, EUR0.04 par value per share, were properly tendered and not properly withdrawn at or below the purchase price of USD88.00 per share.

LyondellBasell has accepted for purchase 35,144,596 shares at a price of $88.00 per share, for an aggregate cost of approximately USD3.09 billion, excluding fees and expenses relating to the tender offer. These shares represent approximately 9.5 percent of the shares outstanding as of July 8, 2019.

J.P. Morgan Securities LLC and Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC acted as dealer managers for the tender offer.

As MRC reported previously, in August 2016, LyondellBasell made the final investment decision to build a high density polyethylene (HDPE) plant on the US Gulf Coast. The plant will have an annual capacity of 1.1 billion pounds (500,000 metric tons) and will be the first commercial plant to employ LyondellBasell's new proprietary Hyperzone PE technology. The start-up of the new plant is scheduled for 2019.

LyondellBasell is one of the largest plastics, chemicals and refining companies in the world. Driven by its 13,000 employees around the globe, LyondellBasell produces materials and products that are key to advancing solutions to modern challenges like enhancing food safety through lightweight and flexible packaging, protecting the purity of water supplies through stronger and more versatile pipes, and improving the safety, comfort and fuel efficiency of many of the cars and trucks on the road. LyondellBasell sells products into approximately 100 countries and is the world's largest licensor of polyolefin technologies.
MRC

Hengli Petrochem starts up world largest catalytic dehydrogenation unit in China

MOSCOW (MRC) -- McDermott announced the recent "successful" start-up of the "world's largest" catalytic dehydrogenation unit at Hengli Petrochemical (Dalian) Refinery Co.'s site in Liaoning Province, China, as per Apic-online.

The single-train dehydrogenation plant, which utilizes McDermott's Lummus Catofin technology and Clariant's Catofin catalyst, has the capability to process 500,000 t/y of propane and 800,000 t/y of isobutene for the production of propylene and isobutylene.

McDermott also supplied the process design package, training and technical support for the facility.

PCN earlier reported that the project was part of a new 20-million-t/y integrated refining and petrochemical complex at Hengli's site that includes a 450,000-t/y polypropylene plant and a 4.5-million-t/y aromatics facility. Completion is expected this year.

"Lummus Catofin technology continues to be the dehydrogenation technology of choice, continually exceeding customer expectations for overall performance," noted Leon de Bruyn, senior vice president of McDermott's Lummus Technology business.

As MRC informed before, in May 2018, INVISTA’s technology and licensing group, INVISTA Performance Technologies (IPT), and Hengli Petrochemical (Dalian) Co.,Ltd. (Hengli) reached an agreement to license INVISTA’s latest purified terephthalic acid (PTA) process technology for Hengli’s fourth PTA line. Hengli’s first three PTA lines, the first of which began operation in 2012, also utilize INVISTA’s technology and have a combined capacity of 6.6 million metric tonnes per year. The fourth line will have a design capacity of 2.5 million metric tonnes per year and will be installed at Changxing Island, Liaoning Province of China.
MRC

Petlin sets date for maintenance work at LDPE plant

MOSCOW (MRC) -- Petlin Malaysia Sdn Bhd, a subsidiary of Petronas has set the maintenance shutdown date at its sole LDPE plant in Kertih, Malaysia on 22 August 2019, said Commoplast.

The unit is expected to remain off-line for 30 days, a source close to the company said.

The LDPE plant has an annual capacity of 250,000 tons.

Meanwhile, it is reported that the company is operating its HDPE plant at a lower rate due to a mechanical issue.

As MRC informed earlier, in July 2013, Petlin shut its low density polyethylene (LDPE) plant for maintenance turnaround.
MRC