Digital twin for cross-disciplinary integration at Oxea

MOSCOW (MRC) -- Aucotec's Engineering Base (EB) platform will ensure the consistency of the plant and the digital image at Oxea in the future, said Hydrocarbonprocessing.

The leading manufacturer of oxo chemicals has decided to develop and operate its plants with the data-centred, cooperative system from the first sketch to predictive maintenance. It thus forms the basis for the digital twins of Oxea's plants over their entire life cycle.

A key specification of the plant planner, installer and operator was that modern engineering must consistently merge the diverse workflows, documents, data and changes of the various disciplines and suppliers. Duplicate work, manual data transfer and multiple storage is too time consuming. EB's bandwidth now reduces Oxea's multiplicity of tools and combines basic engineering with simulation support, detail engineering and operation & maintenance.

"EB's integrative concept, the optimization of interdisciplinary workflows, the use of future-proof cloud technology and the simple, intuitive operation have convinced Oxea just as much as EB's understanding of standards such as Dexpi or NE 150," Aucotec board member Uwe Vogt is looking forward to working with the chemical specialist. On the Oxea side, Dr Oliver Bulters, head of the engineering department, sees his company on the right track to Industry 4.0. "The keys to digitization for us are above all the Digital Twin, plant modeling, predictive maintenance and fully integrated, networked systems and processes. The use of EB will massively support all these issues." He also expects process and design optimization to bring a significant reduction in engineering and operating costs. In addition, Aucotec presented the most convincing concept for data migration during the thorough system research.

As MRC informed earlier, Oxea plans to build a new large-scale plant for the production of carboxylic acids in Oberhausen. With this project, the company is responding to rising global demand. After commissioning by the end of 2021, it will double the current production capacity for isononanoic acid and increase the total production capacity for carboxylic acids by more than 30%.
MRC

MOSCOW (MRC) – The Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC) signed a comprehensive strategic framework agreement with the Federal State Budgetary Organization “Russian Energy Agency” by the Ministry of Energy of the Russian Federation (REA), to explore new opportunities for collaboration across the oil and gas value chain, said Ogj.

The agreement highlights the strength of the UAE-Russia bilateral relations and underpins ADNOC’s expanded approach to partnerships that is enabling it to unlock and maximize value across its entire portfolio. The framework agreement was signed by Abdulmunim Saif Al Kindy, ADNOC Upstream Executive Director and Oleg Valerievich Zhdaneev, Head of Technology Development Division at REA.

Under the terms of the agreement, ADNOC and REA will jointly explore opportunities for collaboration in relation to Abu Dhabi’s exploration and production concessions. This potential for collaboration in relation to Abu Dhabi’s exploration and production concessions builds on the momentum of the successful conclusion of Abu Dhabi’s debut competitive exploration and production bid round. It also recognizes Abu Dhabi’s abundant untapped oil and gas resources and the UAE’s stable and trusted business environment.

In addition, the two partners will jointly assess strategic opportunities for collaboration in the downstream sector, including refining and petrochemicals opportunities in Abu Dhabi and internationally. This cooperation complements ADNOC’s strategy to create a more valuable downstream business as drives its downstream expansion plans and stretches the dollar from every barrel of oil it produces.

At the heart of ADNOC’s downstream expansion strategy is a USD45 billion investment plan aimed at creating the world’s largest integrated refining and petrochemicals complex in Ruwais, located in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi, which will see the company triple production of petrochemicals to 14.4 million tons per annum by 2025.

ADNOC and REA have also agreed to explore potential opportunities for collaboration in marketing sales and trading projects in Abu Dhabi and internationally. ADNOC is developing its global marketing, supply, and trading platforms to better optimize and commercialize its assets and product flows to deliver greater value from its operations.

In August, the company acquired a 10 percent equity stake in VTTI BV, the global storage terminal owner and operator, providing it with better access to customers around the world and enabling it to respond more quickly to market dynamics while capturing trading value throughout its entire supply chain.

ADNOC and REA will also evaluate collaboration opportunities in the liquefied natural gas (LNG) sector that could unlock value and drive revenue growth as ADNOC delivers on its integrated gas strategy approved by Abu Dhabi’s Supreme Petroleum Council (SPC) last year. ADNOC’s integrated gas strategy is enabling it to seize incremental LNG and gas-to-chemicals growth opportunities, where they arise, from the UAE’s dynamic demand/supply position and evolving energy mix.

The framework agreement will see ADNOC and REA explore potential opportunities for collaboration in relation to technical and operational support exchanges in artificial intelligence and other advanced technologies that can help optimize performance and drive efficiencies.

The REA was established in 2009 and provides scientific, analytic, and technological support in the field of fuel and energy complex, as well as conducts research on scientific and technological problems in the energy industry for the Russian Federation.

The Russian Federation has the largest natural gas reserves and the seventh largest oil reserves of any country in the world. Last year, bilateral relations between the UAE and Russia were strengthened when H.H. Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan and President Vladimir Putin signed a Declaration of Strategic Partnership to cooperate in various sectors such as politics, security, economy, and culture. In 2018, bilateral trade between the UAE and Russia topped AED 11 billion (USD3 billion), a 21 percent increase on the previous year.

As MRC reported earlier, in March 2019, Borealis and ADNOC signed Memorandum of Understanding to explore strategic opportunities in the polyolefin industry. Under the terms of the agreement, Borealis and ADNOC will jointly explore potential growth opportunities within the integrated polyolefin industry in key geographical markets.

According to MRC's ScanPlast report, Russia's estimated PE consumption totalled 1,255,800 tonnes in the first seven months of 2019, up by 9% year on year. Shipments of all PE grades increased. At the same time, the estimated PP consumption in the Russian market was 796,120 tonnes in January-July 2019, up by 11% year on year. Shipments of PP block copolymer and homopolymer PP increased.

ADNOC is one of the world’s leading diversified energy and petrochemicals groups, with a daily output of about three million barrels of oil and 10.5 billion cubic feet of natural gas. With 14 specialist subsidiary and joint venture companies, ADNOC is a primary catalyst for the UAE’s growth and diversification.
MRC

MOSCOW (MRC) -- Toray Industries, Inc., announced that it has received ROMEMBRAreverse osmosis (RO) membrane orders for Shoaibah 3 Extension 2 and Shoaibah 4 Desalination Plants in Saudi Arabia, which will bring the site as nation’s largest RO desalination complex enabling to produce total of 650,000m cubic meters of water per day, said the company.

The RO membrane would not only help resolve water shortages in the Middle East, but also contribute greatly to Saudi Vision (refer to note below), a national initiative which the Japanese government also provides the support of. The supply of RO membrane as well as the technical services will be provided by our local subsidiary Toray Membrane Middle East LLC. (TMME).

Gulf countries are investing extensively in infrastructure to cater to rising populations. They are especially forwarding plans to build desalination plants to secure sufficient drinking water. Such plants are adopting RO method which consumes less energy over conventional evaporation method.

Shoaibah, Saudi Arabia’s second largest city located around 120 kilometers south of Jeddah, has also decided to implement RO method in its first expansion of Shoaibah 3 desalination complex, producing up to 150,000 cubic meters of water daily after going online in 2009. Toray has supplied ROMEMBRA™ in all of its desalination system since, after being highly evaluated for over 10 years of stable operation at Shoaibah 3 expansion plant, contributing to the region by producing 800,000 cubic meters of water a day.

As MRC infromed earlier, Toray Industries, Inc., announced that Toray Industries (India) Private Limited began manufacturing polyamide (PA) and polybutylene terephthalate (PBT) at a new facility in September.

As MRC informed earlier, BASF and Toray Advanced Composites have inked a manufacturing and supply agreement for the supply of continuous fibre reinforced thermoplastic (CFRT) tapes. Under the terms, Toray will make CFRT tapes using BASF's Ultramid engineering thermoplastics.

Butadiene is one of the main raw materials for the production of acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS).

According to the ICIS-MRC Price Report, because of low prices in Asia in August, ABS imports to Russia amounted to 3.600 tonnes compared to 2,800 tonnes a month earlier and 2,700 tonnes in August last year. According to the results of January - August, the import of ABS in the Russian Federation did not change relative to the same period last year and amounted to 21,900 tonnes.
MRC

MOSCOW (MRC) -- LyondellBasell Industries reinstated the president of the local United Steelworkers union (USW) representing hourly employees at the company’s Houston refinery, according to a statement from the local union, reported Reuters.

A Lyondell spokeswoman did not reply to a request for comment.

USW Local 13-227 President Lance Spurlock was suspended on Oct. 9 after a refinery supervisor told the company Spurlock used unethical and inappropriate language during a dispute over assigning an untrained union member to operate a crane.

Spurlock’s reinstatement follows a protest of union members outside the 263,776 barrel-per-day (bpd) refinery on Oct. 10. Further protests were planned, but were canceled after the reinstatement, according to the statement.

Spurlock and a union member present during the dispute with the supervisor both denied that Spurlock used an expletive in talking to the supervisor, USW Staff Representative Marcos Velez said on Oct. 10.

As MRC informed previously, in September 2019, LyondellBasell sarted up a new, fifth production line at its polypropylene (PP) compounding plant in Knapsack, Germany capable of producing 25 kt/yr. With this, capacity of the Knapsack facility is over 200 kt/yr, making the site "the world’s largest polypropylene compounding facility".

According to MRC's ScanPlast report, the estimated PP consumption in the Russian market was 796,120 tonnes in January-July 2019, up by 11% year on year. Shipments of PP block copolymer and homopolymer PP increased.

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

MOSCOW (MRC) -- Overall imports of general purpose polystyrene (GPPS) and high impact polystyrene (HIPS) from Iran to Russia rose in the first nine months of 2019 by 98% year on year to 5,500 tonnes, according to MRC's DataScope report.

GPPS and HIPS imports from Iran totalled 2,800 tonnes in January-September 2018.

Producers Artan Petro and Petropaak with the share of 61% and 37%, respectively, accounted for the bulk of shipments from Iran.

At present, Iran is the third largest country supplying polystyrene (PS) to Russia after Belgium and South Korea. Thus, the share of Iranian material was 13% in the first three quarters of 2019, whereas that of Belgium was 38% and of South Korean - 21%.

September PS shipments from Iran to the Russian market increased by six-fold to 390 tonnes from 70 tonnes in September 2018. Imports from Iran were 920 tonnes in August 2019.

MRC