Enterprise starts up 2 new natural gas processing plants in Texas

MOSCOW (MRC) -- Houston pipeline operator Enterprise Products Partners has started operations at two new natural gas processing plants last week, reported Oil&Gas360.

The company announced on Thursday morning that it had started its Bulldog cryogenic natural gas processing plant in the Haynesville Shale of East Texas.

Located in Panola County, the plant, can process 200 million cubic feet of natural gas per day and extract up to 12,000 barrels of natural gas liquids per day.

The East Texas announcement comes two days after Enterprise started its Mentone cryogenic natural gas processing plant in the Permian Basin of West Texas.

Located in Loving County, the plant can process 300 million cubic feet of natural per day and extract more than 40,000 barrels of natural gas liquids per day.

Founded in 1968 with a pair of propane delivery trucks, the Houston pipeline operator has more than 7,000 employees across the United States.

Enterprise, the largest exporter of crude oil and natural gas liquids in the US, reported a USD4.2 billion profit and USD36.5 billion in revenue in 2018.

As MRC informed before, Enterprise Products Partners and LyondellBasell Industries said in September 2019 they had executed long-term contracts to support construction of EPD's second propane dehydrogenation plant at the Mont Belvieu, Tex. complex. The decision to build the PDH 2 plant stems from recently executed long-term polymer grade propane (PGP) supply contracts between Enterprise and LyondellBasell Industries N.V.

Besides, we remind that Enterprise Products Partners' Mont Belvieu PDH in Texas restarted from planned maintenance in the first week of December, 2019. The PDH unit went offline for maintenance on November 13, 2019. That day, the company said in a filing with the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality that the RAC "B" turbine shut down, which resulted in flaring. The flaring was estimated to last 72 hours. The unit has a capacity of 750,000 mt/year.

Propylene is the main feedstock for the production of polypropylene (PP).

According to MRC's ScanPlast report, the PP consumption in the Russian market was 1,161,830 tonnes in January-November 2019, up by 7% year on year. Deliveries of all grades of propylene polymers increased, with the homopolymer PP segment accounting for the largest increase.

Enterprise Products Partners L.P. is an American midstream natural gas and crude oil pipeline company with headquarters in Houston, Texas. It acquired GulfTerra in September 2004. The company ranked No. 105 in the 2018 Fortune 500 list of the largest United States corporations by total revenue
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Exports of injection moulding PET chips from Belarus up 20% in eleven months 2019

MOSCOW (MRC) - Export deliveries of injection moulding PET chips from Belarus in January-November increased by 20% compared to the same period last year and amounted to 15,200 tonnes against 12,600 tonnes year on year, according to MRC DataScope.
At the same time, exports of injection moulding PET remained at the level in November 2019 against the same month of the previous year and amounted to 1,700 tonnes. In October of last year, material from the country was exported in the amount of 1,400 tonnes.

Exports to Russia amounted to 45% (6,800 tonnes) in January-November from the total exports against a share of 74% (9,400 tonnes) in the same period last year. The share of exports to Russia from Belarus in November reached 67% (1,100 tonnes), in October it amounted to 31% (440 tonnes).
MRC

French union calls on ports to suspend operations Wednesday

MOSCOW (MRC) -- The French federation of port and dock workers, part of the CGT labor union, has called ports to suspend operations on Wednesday as protests against the government's pension reform continue, reported S&P Global.

A day of protests across France has also been called by the unions for Wednesday.

The federation, along with the CGT and other French labor unions called for renewed protests last week when industrial action and demonstrations last Wednesday and Thursday were followed by a nationwide strike on Friday.

There have been protests at most refineries and ports in France since December 5, 2019 over the pension reform plans, with staff at refineries blocking product shipments and staff at ports suspending operations. However, the industrial action appeared to be gradually easing off at refineries, with no plants closed.

Tugs operations at a number of French ports are likely to be disrupted Wednesday with disruptions expected to continue until Saturday, according to shipping sources. The industrial action is expected to affect the ports of Rouen, Brest, Lorient, Donges, St Nazaire, the Fluxel-operated Fos and Lavera oil terminals and Le Havre. But others ports, such as La Palllice and Bordeaux are not expected to be affected.

We remind that, as MRC wrote before, France's CGT union said on Friday, 10 January, it would continue a strike over the government's planned pension reform at refineries and petrol depots until 16 January, extending by almost a week a four-day action that started on 7 January. The decision came the day after new nationwide protest marches that failed to break the stalemate between government and unions after a more-than month-old public sector strike.

French oil major Total said earlier that strikes against the government’s pension reform were having no impact on its fuel supply and distribution ahead of a four-day nationwide strike in French oil refineries.

We also remind that in November 2019, Total disclosed that it is evaluating construction of a new gas cracker at its Deasan, South Korea, joint venture (JV) with Hanwha Chemical.

Ethylene and propylene are feedstocks for producing polyethylene (PE) and polypropylene (PP).

According to MRC's ScanPlast report, Russia's estimated PE consumption totalled 1,904,410 tonnes in the first eleven months of 2019, up by 6% year on year. Shipments of all PE grades increased. PE shipments increased from both domestic producers and foreign suppliers. The PP consumption in the Russian market was 1,161,830 tonnes in January-November 2019, up by 7% year on year. Deliveries of all grades of propylene polymers increased, with the homopolymer PP segment accounting for the largest increase.
MRC

Milliken & Company finalizes acquisition of Borchers

MOSCOW (MRC) -- Milliken & Company, a global diversified manufacturer with more than a century and a half of materials science expertise, has formally acquired Borchers Group Limited, a global specialty chemicals company known for its innovative high-performance coating additives and specialty catalyst solutions from The Jordan Company, L.P., reported BusinessWire.

The transaction officially closed on Tuesday, January 28, 2020.

"When great teams come together, big things happen," stated Halsey Cook, Milliken & Company president and CEO on closing the deal. "I’m excited to combine Borchers’ capabilities with Milliken’s long-term view and focus on innovation and sustainability."

"Borchers brings expertise, products and customer knowledge in the paint and coatings industry," commented Russ Rudolph, senior vice president, Milliken’s Coating Additives Business. "Combined with Milliken’s commitment to investment in long-term sustainable innovation and specialty chemicals global reach, this acquisition will accelerate solutions for the markets and customers we serve."

As Borchers integrates into Milliken, daily operations will continue without interruption, including relationships with existing suppliers and customers.

Headquartered in Westlake, Ohio, Borchers carries a respected portfolio of additives for the coatings, inks and adhesives markets with a comprehensive range of cobalt-free driers, dispersants, rheology modifiers, wetting agents, polymerization catalysts and adhesion promoters.

Jones Day represented Milliken in the transaction. Moelis & Company LLC acted as financial advisor, and Mayer Brown LLP acted as legal advisor to Borchers and TJC.

As MRC informed before, in August 2019, Milliken & Company unveiled plans to construct a new, state-of-the-art chemical manufacturing plant and knowledge center in Asia. Expected to begin operations in Q1 2021, the facility expands Milliken’s chemical manufacturing footprint to support increasing demand across Asia, including rapidly growing markets in India and China. The company currently operates an applications lab and technical service and sales office in Singapore, and recently celebrated its 20-year presence in the region.

We also remind that at Hispack 2018 trade fair in Spain, Milliken Chemical showcased containers of NX UltraClear polypropylene (PP) made using its Millad NX 8000 clarifier, and highlighted why that material is the preferred solution for packaging.

According to MRC's ScanPlast report, the PP consumption in the Russian market was 1,161,830 tonnes in January-November 2019, up by 7% year on year. Deliveries of all grades of propylene polymers increased, with the homopolymer PP segment accounting for the largest increase.

Milliken is an innovation company that has been exploring, discovering, and creating ways to enhance people’s lives since 1865. The company creates coatings, specialty chemicals, and advanced additive and colorant technologies that transform the way we experience products from automotive plastics to children's art supplies.
MRC

Packaging supplier Comar buys medical device molder iMark

MOSCOW (MRC) -- In a move to expand its footprint in the medical and pharmaceutical segments, rigid plastic packaging supplier Comar has acquired iMark Molding, a medical parts molder headquartered in Woodsville, Wis., for an undisclosed amount, said Canplastics.

In a statement, Comar said that iMark specializes in complex scientific injection molding, automated and manual assembly, and cleanroom operations, and operates out of an ISO13485-certified 130,000-square-foot facility with more than 30 injection molding presses and 15,000 square feet of certified ISO Class 7 cleanroom.

The company won an award as “Wisconsin Manufacturer of the Year, Special Award for Enterprise Precision", Comar said.

"There will be no plant closures or employee layoffs for Comar or iMark as part of this acquisition,” Comar’s statement said. “Comar and iMark fully expect to continue to deliver to their customers with zero interruptions or quality issues."

iMark president Mark Sturtevant will continue to manage the company’s day-to-day operations, the statement added.

As MRC informed earlier, Nestle is to invest up to Swiss francs (Swfr) 2bn (USD2.1bn) to shift packaging production from virgin to recycled polymers over the next five years. The company is to source up to 2m tonnes of food-grade recycled plastics and has allocated Swfr1.5bn up to 2025 to pay a premium for those materials as part of a drive to create a viable market for those products. The company will seek operational efficiencies to keep the process revenue neutral.

A broad range of applications in the packaging industry is made of LDPE or HDPE in various forms – loose, in rolls, or in blocks.

Ethylene and propylene are feedstocks for producing polyethylene (PE) and polypropylene (PP).

According to MRC's ScanPlast report, Russia's estimated PE consumption totalled 1,904,410 tonnes in the first eleven months of 2019, up by 6% year on year. Shipments of all PE grades increased. PE shipments increased from both domestic producers and foreign suppliers. The PP consumption in the Russian market was 1,161,830 tonnes in January-November 2019, up by 7% year on year. Deliveries of all grades of propylene polymers increased, with the homopolymer PP segment accounting for the largest increase.

Founded in 1949, Comar is headquartered in Voorhees, N.J. The company operates nine manufacturing and distribution locations across the U.S., and uses injection molding, injection blow molding, injection stretch blow molding, and extrusion blow molding processes.
MRC