Beijing outbreak dampens oil demand, but government response key

MOSCOW (MRC) -- The reemergence of COVID-19 cases in Beijing is expected to dampen oil demand as flights are canceled, schools shut and neighborhood lockdowns initiated, but the extent of demand destruction for both oil and gas will depend on how swiftly the government is able to contain the spread and which sectors are most seriously impacted, said S&P Global.

For now, the measures taken by the government seem moderate, but effective.

Some provinces are tightening checks on people and vehicles from Beijing, but no stricter measures are implemented at the national level, S&P Global Platts said in a report June 16.

The negative impact on China's oil demand is minimal for now and the government's quick response should be reassuring for the LNG market, as the prospect of another COVID-19 lockdown in China would have a significant negative global impact, the report said.

We remind that, in September 2019, six world's major petrochemical companies in Flanders, Belgium, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany, and the Netherlands (Trilateral Region) announced the creation of a consortium to jointly investigate how naphtha or gas steam crackers could be operated using renewable electricity instead of fossil fuels. The Cracker of the Future consortium, which includes BASF, Borealis, BP, LyondellBasell, SABIC and Total, aims to produce base chemicals while also significantly reducing carbon emissions. The companies agreed to invest in R&D and knowledge sharing as they assess the possibility of transitioning their base chemical production to renewable electricity.

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

According to MRC's ScanPlast report, Russia's estimated PE consumption totalled 721,290 tonnes in the first four month of 2020, up by 4% year on year. Low density polyethylene (LDPE) and linear low density polyethylene (LLDPE) shipments grew partially because of the increased capacity utilisation at ZapSibNeftekhim. At the same time, PP shipments to the Russian market totalled 347,440 tonnes in January-April 2020 (calculated by the formula production minus export plus import). Supply exclusively of PP random copolymer increased.
MRC

MOSCOW (MRC) -- AkzoNobel, together with the other members of the Dutch Sustainable Growth Coalition (DSGC), a CEO-led coalition of eight Dutch multinational corporations, has endorsed sustainability as the cornerstone of COVID-19 recovery plans at a national and EU level, said Chemweek.

DSGC is calling on the Dutch government to endorse the EU Green Deal as one of the cornerstones of the EU's recovery plan, and build a COVID-19 recovery plan around an investment schedule that firmly puts the Dutch economy on the path of realizing the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the Paris Climate Agreements, AkzoNobel says.

DSGC wants to draw on the recent partnerships and collaborations between Dutch enterprises and the government to tackle COVID-19, to address future challenges where public and private partnerships are key such as risks associated with climate change and loss of biodiversity, according to the coalition. “We look forward to continuing our collaborative work with the Dutch and EU governments to further embed sustainability so we can maximize our contribution to the SDG agenda. Together, we can make this possible,” says Thierry Vanlancker, CEO at AkzoNobel.

The coalition is chaired by Jan Peter Balkenende, supported by the Confederation of Netherlands Industry and Employers and facilitated by Accenture. It is committed to sustainability as a leading business-modeling principle, and believes that focusing on social responsibility and climate action through the lens of the SDGs could reinforce economies worldwide, mitigate climate risks, and create the foundations for future sustainability-driven growth and a more inclusive society, AkzoNobel says.

As it was written before, AkzoNobel finalized the acquisition of BASF’s global Industrial Coatings business, which supplies a range of products for industries including construction, domestic appliances, wind energy and commercial transport, strengthening its position as the global number one supplier in coil coatings.

As MRC informed earlier, BASF would expand the capacity of ethylene oxide and ethylene oxide derivatives at its Verbund site in Antwerp, Belgium. The total investment adds about 400 000 tpy to BASF’s production capacity for the corresponding products with an expected investment amount exceeding EUR500 million.

Ethylene is a feedstock for producing polyethylene (PE).

According to MRC's ScanPlast report, Russia's estimated PE consumption totalled 721,290 tonnes in the first four month of 2020, up by 4% year on year. Low density polyethylene (LDPE) and linear low density polyethylene (LLDPE) shipments grew partially because of the increased capacity utilisation at ZapSibNeftekhim.

Akzo Nobel N.V., trading as AkzoNobel, is a Dutch multinational, active in the fields of decorative paints, performance coatings and specialty chemicals. Headquartered in Amsterdam, the company has activities in more than 80 countries, and employs approximately 55,000 people. Established in 1992 and specializing in sustainable water-based and advanced eco-friendly products, Mapaero operates a production facility in France and has around 140 employees.
MRC

MOSCOW (MRC) -- Sakhalin Energy, the international operator of a pioneering LNG plant in eastern Russia, said authorities have extended its oil and gas production licenses, which were due to expire in 2021, for five years, reported Reuters.

Sakhalin Energy operates Sakhalin-2, Russia’s first LNG plant, which came onstream in 2009 with production capacity of around 10 million tons per year.

It said on Thursday it had secured rights to further develop Piltun-Astokhskoye and Lunskoye oil and gas fields in the Sea of Okhotsk, off the eastern island of Sakhalin, until May 19, 2026.

The initial licenses were awarded in 1996 for 25 years.

Equity holders in Sakhalin Energy include Gazprom, Royal Dutch Shell, and Japan’s Mitsui and Mitsubishi Corp.

As MRC informed earlier, in 2019, SIBUR and Gazprom Neft, part of Gazprom, consolidated 100% of the authorised capital in Poliom, a polypropylene (PP) plant in Omsk. Sibgazpolimer, a joint venture of the two companies, has signed an agreement to acquire a 50% stake in Poliom from the Titan Group.

According to MRC's ScanPlast report, PP shipments to the Russian market totalled 347,440 tonnes in January-April 2020 (calculated by the formula production minus export plus import). Supply exclusively of PP random copolymer increased.
MRC

MOSCOW (MRC) -- KBR signed a memorandum of understanding with L&T Hydrocarbon Engineering Ltd (LTHE) for refinery and petrochemical projects, said the company.

Under the terms of the agreement, KBR and LTHE will collaborate to develop business opportunities for which KBR will license proprietary technology and engineering services and LTHE will be the EPC provider. LTHE will exclusively bid for projects globally, with specific focus in India, South East Asia, the Middle East and Africa involving KBR’s solid acid alkylation technology (K-SAATTM), solvent de-asphalting technology (ROSE®) and catalytic olefins technology (K-COTTM).

K-SAAT is KBR's next generation solid acid alkylation technology that provides high alkylate yield and high feed flexibility. KBR’s solvent de-asphalting technology, ROSE, has more than 90% market share among solvent de-asphalting technologies. KBR’s K-COT is a catalytic olefins technology that convert low-value olefinic, paraffinic or mixed streams into high-value propylene, ethylene and aromatics.

"This MoU brings together KBR’s century-long technology expertise and LTHE’s strong capability as a major EPC player and modular solution provider,” said Doug Kelly, KBR President, Technology Solutions. “KBR's innovative and reliable process technologies have been helping refinery and petrochemical plants globally to optimize production and reduce operating costs."

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 is a global provider of differentiated professional services and technologies across the asset and program lifecycle within the Government Solutions and Energy sectors. KBR employs approximately 37,000 people worldwide (including our joint ventures), with customers in more than 80 countries, and operations in 40 countries, across three synergistic global businesses.
MRC

MOSCOW (MRC) -- Zhongke Refinery and Petrochemical Complex, part of Sinopec Group, has successfully conducted trial runs at its new 350,000 tons/year polypropylene PP unit on 9 June, 2020, reported CommoPlast with reference to market sources.

Based in Zhenjiang, China, the complex consists of two PP lines with combined production capacity of 550,000 tons/year, a 100,000 tons/year low density polyethylene (LDPE) plant and a 350,000 tons/year high density polyethylene (HDPE)/linear low density polyethylene (LLDPE) plant.

All lines are expected to startup within July-August 2020 period.

As MRC informed earlier, the Sinopec venture, situated in coastal city of Zhanjiang, comprises a 200,000 barrel per day (bpd) crude oil refinery and an 800,000 tonne-per-year ethylene facility, built at a cost of 44 billion yuan (USD6.2 billion).

According to MRC's ScanPlast report, PP shipments to the Russian market totalled 347,440 tonnes in January-April 2020 (calculated by the formula production minus export plus import). Supply exclusively of PP random copolymer increased.

China Petrochemical Corporation (Sinopec Group) is a super-large petroleum and petrochemical enterprise group established in July 1998 on the basis of the former China Petrochemical Corporation. Sinopec Group"s key business activities include the exploration and production of oil and natural gas, petrochemicals and other chemical products, oil refining.
MRC