KBR wins study for Gladstone LNG

MOSCOW (MRC) -- Engineering, procurement and construction firm KBR has been awarded an energy efficiency opportunities study at Gladstone LNG (GLNG) in Australia by energy giant Santos, said Gasworld.

Building on KBR’s strong and successful portfolio within the LNG sector, the study seeks to explore opportunities to improve the overall energy efficiency of the plant and reduce CO2 emissions associated with the GLNG liquefaction facility.

KBR will assist GLNG in identifying and screening potential modifications to enhance the operational facility through improvements of thermal efficiency while also accounting for the associated reduction in carbon emissions.

"KBR has long been trusted by clients across the LNG sector and this study is indicative of KBR’s capabilities and skillsets across complex industrial assets, demonstrating our strategic commitment to sustainability and decarbonization and optimising operational efficiencies across the supply chain,” said Jay Ibrahim, KBR President, Energy Solutions.

This project will leverage the specialist energy, decarbonisation and process optimisation skills of KBR’s strategic and advisory consulting team.

As MRC informed erlier, KBR announced that it has been awarded a contract by Hainan Huasheng New Material Technology Co., Ltd. (Hainan Huasheng) to license Mitsubishi Chemical Corporation's (MCC) proprietary Bisphenol A (BPA) technology for a new plant in Dongfang City, Hainan Province, China. Under the terms of the contract, KBR will provide a Licensing and Basic Engineering Design (LBED) package to Hainan Huasheng for building a grassroots 240,000 tons per annum BPA plant. KBR will also provide commissioning, startup support, and training services for the project.

BPA is the main feedstock for the production of epoxy resins and polycarbonate (PC).

According to MRC's ScanPlast report, Russia's estimated consumption of PC granules (excluding imports and exports to/from Belarus) totalled 78,500 tonnes in 2019, up by 15% year on year (68,100 tonnes a year earlier).

KBR globally licenses and designs plants with proprietary technologies, including phenol/acetone, BPA and polycarbonate processes. KBR's integrated phenolic offering provides advantages in raw material, utility, OPEX and maintenance costs.
MRC

MOSCOW (MRC) -- Chinese state oil giannt CNOOC has waived its right to pre-empt the sale of a major oil field farm-out deal in Uganda to France's Total, said S&P Global.

Total agreed last month to buy out the Ugandan assets of troubled Tullow Oil in a USD575-million deal that cleared up a tax dispute with the government hanging over the country's maiden oil project.

Under the terms of the deal, Total will acquire all of Tullow's existing 33.33% stake in each of the Lake Albert project licenses and the proposed export-pipeline system. CNOOC had pre-emption rights to acquire 50% of the assets on the same terms and conditions as Total.

With no further changes to the ownership stakes under the farm-out deal, Tullow said it expects the transaction to complete in the second half of 2020.

The companies had been waiting on the farm-down deal to kick-start the USD20-billion oil development which includes a USD3.55-billion, crude-export pipeline and the drilling of over 500 wells to produce 230,000 b/d.

Total is currently the operator of Block 1 and Block 1A and CNOOC is the operator of Block 3A, while Tullow operates Block 2.

In February, Total said it expected the FID to take place in "2020 or after" despite official hopes by the Ugandan government that the partners would approve the project in early 2020.

As MRC wrote before, in early May, 2018, China National Offshore Oil Corporation (CNOOC) and Shell Nanhai B.V. (Shell) announced the official start-up of the second ethylene cracker at their Nanhai petrochemicals complex in Huizhou, Guangdong Province, China.

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

According to MRC's ScanPlast report, Russia's estimated PE consumption totalled 557,060 tonnes in the first three month of 2020, up by 7% year on year. High density polyethylene (HDPE) and linear low density polyethylene (LLDPE) shipments rose because of the increased capacity utilisation at ZapSibNeftekhim. Demand for LDPE subsided. At the same time, PP shipments to the Russian market was 267,630 tonnes in January-March 2020, down 20% year on year. Homopolymer PP and PP block copolymers accounted for the main decrease in imports.

China National Offshore Oil Corporation (CNOOC), the largest offshore oil & gas producer in China. CNOOC businesses cover the main segments of oil & gas exploration and development, engineering & technical services, refining and marketing, natural gas and power generation, and financial services.

MRC

MOSCOW (MRC) -- Sinopec Maoming Petrochemical, part of Sinopec Corporation,has brought on-stream its No. 2 low density polyethylene (LDPE) unit in Guangdong, according to Apic-online.

A Polymerupdate source in China informed that, the company resumed operations at the unit on May 22, 2020. The unit was shut for a brief maintenance on May 18, 2020.

Located at Guangdong in China, the No. 2 LDPE unit has a production capacity of 280,000 mt/year.

As MRC reported previously, Sinopec Qilu Petrochemical, another subsidiary of Sinopec, plans to shut the cracker unit in Tianjin in northeast China for scheduled repairs on 15 June, 2020. This cracking unit with a capacity of 900,000 tonnes of ethylene per year and 480,000 tonnes of propylene tons per year will be closed for scheduled repairs until 24 June, 2020.

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

According to MRC's ScanPlast report, Russia's estimated PE consumption totalled 557,060 tonnes in the first three month of 2020, up by 7% year on year. High density polyethylene (HDPE) and linear low density polyethylene (LLDPE) shipments rose because of the increased capacity utilisation at ZapSibNeftekhim. Demand for LDPE subsided. At the same time, PP shipments to the Russian market was 267,630 tonnes in January-March 2020, down 20% year on year. Homopolymer PP and PP block copolymers accounted for the main decrease in imports.

Sinopec corp. is one of the world's largest integrated energy and chemical companies. Business Sinopec Corp. includes oil and gas exploration, production and transportation of oil and gas, oil refining, petrochemical production, production of mineral fertilizers and other chemical products. In terms of refining capacity, Sinopec Corp. ranks second in the world, in terms of ethylene capacity - fourth.
MRC

MOSCOW (MRC) -- The British Plastics Federations Pipes Group believes during these unprecedented times, maintaining a robust supply chain for all the utilities is essential, but often goes unnoticed by the general public, said Britishplastics.

Continuity and safe supply are vital for the normal functioning of the UK utility network, and ongoing routine maintenance as well as emergency repairs help ensure an uninterrupted power and water supply source available 24/7. This applies to both the water and sewerage networks as well as to gas and electricity supplies.

The group says the UK plastic pressure and non-pressure pipe manufacturers have a key role to play in this, and as part of an important supply chain have adapted quickly from the initial lockdown shock to continue delivering a level of service which minimises risk to the utility sector.

Plastic pipe suppliers say they are well-prepared and able to provide the robustness that utilities need in the current climate by maintaining their own internal supply chain via forward planning and risk management through to instigating appropriate social distancing measures and safe working practices for those in the manufacturing, administration and distribution areas.

Caroline Ayres, BPF Pipes Group Director, said: "Our members have been working hard to ensure the supply chain for utilities continues to remain safe and secure, so that products required for emergency work in every utility sector as well as routine construction and maintenance are always available."

Where worker safety can be ensured, major scheduled utility infrastructure projects are continuing to some extent, and the recent lighter volumes of road traffic have helped in this. Pipe supplies are continuing to be provided, with operators adhering to strict social distancing rules. Factories where pipe materials and fittings are manufactured are maintaining a level of production to ensure that the supply chain for essential work and emergencies is not broken.

The support roles they are playing are vital to keep utilities able to function as close to normal as possible. Regarding site deliveries for example, pipe suppliers are photographing delivered items alongside a member of the contractor team as no signatures are currently possible, thus supporting new ways of working around social distancing protocols.

Builders’ merchants have different procedures for accepting deliveries and these are also being complied with by pipe manufacturers. The group concludes: “As there still remains uncertainty as to when and how the lockdown will be eased, it is essential that the flexible approach adopted by UK pipe manufacturers continues to reflect the ever changing landscape of the current situation in order to support the utility sectors, something BPF Pipes Group members are continuing to do. This is why it is essential that the utility supply chain remains stable, and BPF Pipes Group members are continuing to provide an important service."

According to MRC's ScanPlast report, Russia's estimated PE consumption totalled 383,760 tonnes in the first two month of 2020, up by 14% year on year. High density polyethylene (HDPE) and linear low density polyethylene (LLDPE) shipments increased due to the increased capacity utilisation at ZapSibNeftekhim. At the same time, PP shipments to the Russian market were 192,760 tonnes in January-February 2020, down by 6% year on year. Homopolymer PP accounted for the main decrease in imports.

MRC

MOSCOW (MRC) -- Huntsman Textile Effects and Bao Minh Textile, one of the largest and most modern woven fabric producers in Vietnam, are collaborating to produce fabric that meets the stringent performance standards required of isolation gowns, said Chemweek.

High-quality medical gowns are essential protective wear for healthcare workers combatting the global COVID-19 pandemic, but these are in short supply worldwide. Bao Minh Textile will initially treat 760,000 metres of woven fabric with a carefully curated combination of Huntsman Textile Effects barrier effect solutions and auxiliaries. This fabric is sufficient to produce 345,000 high-grade isolation gowns.

“To help meet extraordinary global need for hospital gowns, we had to be able to deliver a high-performance fabric of consistent high quality while maintaining our commitment to good manufacturing practice and sustainability. The technical teams from Bao Minh Textile and Huntsman Textile Effects worked hand in hand to make this possible at speed,” said Mr Tran Dang Tuong, Chief Executive Officer of Bao Minh Textile.

Manfred Albrecht, Chief Representative for Huntsman Textile Effects Vietnam, said: “We are pleased to support an industry innovator and sustainability champion like Bao Minh Textile to help in the fight against COVID-19. It takes deep operational knowhow and knowledge of the chemical composition and mechanical properties of finishing effects and fibres to manufacture Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) to the required standard. Huntsman Textile Effects and Bao Minh Textile have an excellent collaborative relationship and we look forward to continuing to help the team refine production amid COVID-19 and beyond."

Bao Minh Textile’s isolation gown fabric relies on a range of Huntsman pre-treatment, dyeing and finishing solutions. These include Clarite One, an all-in-one pre-treatment for peroxide bleaching; Novacron and Terasil dyes; Phobol?CP-C, an excellent oil, water and stain-repellent finish; and Phobotex RSY, a non-fluorinated durable water repellent with extremely high washing resistance. Phobol Extender XAN is also applied to further increase wash durability.

Huntsman Textile Effects has a comprehensive range of barrier effects for both nonwoven and woven medical applications, including facemasks and PPE such as isolation gowns.

As MRC informed earlier, Huntsman announced that in 2020, its polyols production facility in Kuan Yin, Taiwan, will begin to utilise the company's well-proven Terol polyols technology to recycle distressed PET streams to satisfy the growing demand from the regional PIR foam insulation market.

As per MRC DataScope, Russia's PET imports decreased by 35% in April to 11,200 tonnes against 17,400 tonnes in March; last April material imports amounted to 22,900 tonnes. Imports of Chinese injection moulding PET chips in Russia increased by 16% in January-April, compared with the same period a year ago and reached 40,400 tonnes. The same indicator in January-April 2019 amounted to 48,200 tonnes.

Huntsman Corporation is a publicly traded global manufacturer and marketer of differentiated and specialty chemicals with 2017 revenues of more than USD8 billion. Its chemical products number in the thousands and are sold worldwide to manufacturers serving a broad and diverse range of consumer and industrial end markets. The company operate more than 75 manufacturing, R&D and operations facilities in approximately 30 countries and employ approximately 10,000 associates within its four distinct business divisions.
MRC