MAN Energy Solutions and Wasco to drive Power-to-Gas technology in South-East Asia

MOSCOW (MRC) -- MAN Energy Solutions and Wasco have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to promote and commercialize Power-to-X (PtX) projects in South-East Asia, said Hydrocarbonprocessing.

The technology in question converts electricity into carbon-neutral synthetic fuels, gas or liquid, for use as a clean, carbon-neutral energy source. Due to travel restrictions triggered by the Covid-19 pandemic, the signing ceremony took place as a digital event with representatives from both companies participating via a live-video stream.

“We see a huge potential for Synthetic Fuels”, said Uwe Lauber, CEO of MAN Energy Solutions. “To advance decarbonization, climate-neutral fuels are needed in all sectors where direct electrification via batteries is not an option – as is the case with international shipping. Without a doubt, Power-to-X is one of the key technologies needed to generate such synthetic fuels. We are very happy to work in South-East Asia together with Wasco and build on their vast network, tremendous experience, and substantial capabilities in the region."

"Both companies have a strong track record, background, and resources in developing energy projects across Asia. This collaboration with MAN on Power-to-X technology is in line with Wasco's growth ambitions driven by innovation. The signing of the MOU reaffirms our commitment to deliver innovative and sustainable solutions to the market, which is the future of the energy sector," said Giancarlo Maccagno, CEO, Wasco Energy Group.

MAN Energy Solutions is a pioneer in the development of Power-to-Gas technology and commissioned Europe’s largest methanization plant to create green methane from hydrogen as far back as 2013. Today, the company offers industrially-scaled 50MW Power-to-Gas and Power-to-X plants as part of its product portfolio.

As MRC informed earlier, MAN Energy Solutions has announced the successful, remote commissioning of a compressor train at Uzbekistan’s largest chemical company, JSC Navoiyazot. This world-first was brought about when installation work for a new nitric-acid plant for fertilizer production was interrupted by the Covid-19 pandemic, with the MAN Energy Solutions’ commissioning team forced to leave the site due to the impending lockdown and associated travel restrictions within the country. In order to avoid any delays and additional costs for the entire project, MAN and the EPC contractor Casale S.A. – the global provider of integrated solutions for the production of fertilizers and chemicals ­– rapidly put in place an alternative plan to commission the machinery with remote supervision by MAN engineers using the company’s digital technology.

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

According to MRC's DataScope report, PE imports to Russia dropped in January-June 2020 by 7% year on year to 328,000 tonnes. High density polyethylene (HDPE) accounted for the main decrease in imports. At the same time, PP imports into Russia rose in the first six months of 2020 by 21% year on year to 105,300 tonnes. Propylene homopolymer (homopolymer PP) accounted for the main increase in imports.
MRC

MOSCOW (MRC) -- Total has formalized a cooperation with car maker Groupe PSA to develop and manufacture electric vehicle (EV) batteries in Europe by setting up a joint venture (JV) called Automotive Cells Co. (ACC), reported Chemweek.

Total subsidiary Saft and PSA unit Opel are joining forces to create large-scale battery plants with a combined capacity of 48 gigawatt-hours (GWh) at Douvrin, France, and Kaiserslautern, Germany. Production could start as early as 2023, with an initial capacity of 8 GWh at each site, rising later to 24 GWh each.

The ACC partners eye capturing more than one-tenth of Europe's future EV battery market, which they see growing 15-fold to 400 GWh by 2030, given the EU's drive toward climate-neutrality by 2050 and economic value creation closer to home. At full capacity, the plants would produce batteries for 1 million EVs per year.

Work on developing lithium-ion technologies has started in France, at an R&D center at Bordeaux and a pilot plant at Nersac, according to Total. When first presenting the plan in early 2020, the partners had indicated the pilot facility would determine whether the multibillion-euro investment would go ahead.

The French and German authorities are backing the enterprise with EUR1.3 billion (USD1.5 billion) of state funds, since it won the status of an Important Project of Common European Interest. The entire project requires investments of more than EUR5 billion.

As MRC wrote before, Total SA is waiting for the external power supply to be restored at its 225,500 barrrel-per-day (bpd) Port Arthur, Texas, refinery before restarting units, reported Reuters with reference to sources familiar with plant operations. The refinery was shut on Aug. 25 when Hurricane Laura’s forecast was included a possible landfall near Port Arthur.

We remind that in November 2019, Total disclosed that itis 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 overall PE production totalled 1,712,400 tonnes in the first seven months of 2020, up by 58% year on year. Linear low density polyethylene (LLDPE) accounted for the greatest increase in the output. At the same time, overall PP production in Russia increased in January-July 2020 by 24% year on year to 1,063,700 tonne. ZapSibNeftekhim accounted for the main increase in the output.

Total S.A. is a French multinational oil and gas company and one of the six "Supermajor" oil companies in the world with business in Europe, the United States, the Middle East and Asia. The company's petrochemical products cover two main groups: base chemicals and the consumer polymers (polyethylene, polypropylene and polystyrene) that are derived from them.
MRC

MOSCOW (MRC) -- BASF says it is continuing the modernization and expansion of its Ludwigshafen, Germany, complex with construction of a medical center focused on occupational medicine, according to Chemweek.

Work on the new building will begin in early 2021 with completion scheduled for mid-2023, the company says. Meanwhile, due to the economic environment caused by COVID-19, BASF has examined all planned construction projects and decided no longer to pursue a project to construct a new office building at Gate 2 of the site, on the plot of what used to be the Friedrich-Engelhorn skyscraper, it says.

“Due to the economic situation and the shift toward more mobile working, we have revised our priorities and placed them elsewhere. The alignment to future demands and strengthening the site are our central goals. We are therefore focusing our investments on the areas of production, engineering, innovation, and health and safety,” says Michael Heinz, board member and site director at BASF.

The planned medical center at BASF’s Ludwigshafen site comprises a six-story main building and a two-story ambulance station covering a total area of 11,500 square meters, the company says. It will house examination rooms, training rooms and offices, facilities for medical diagnostics for employees, as well as an emergency medical service, BASF says.

BASF confirmed the continuation of the modernization strategy at Ludwigshafen with the Site Agreement 2025, signed in July 2020, according to which the company plans to invest a sum of at least EUR1.5 billion/year (USD1.8 billion) there between 2021 and 2025.

As MRC reported earlier, BASF has restarted its No. 1 steam cracker in Germany following a maintenance turnaorund. Thus, the company resumed operations at the plant on September 30, 2019. The plant was shut for maintenance in mid-August, 2019. Located at Ludwigshafen in Germany, the No. 1 cracker has an ethylene production capacity of 235,000 mt/year and a propylene production capacity of 125,000 mt/year.

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

According to MRC's ScanPlast report, Russia's overall PE production totalled 1,712,400 tonnes in the first seven months of 2020, up by 58% year on year. Linear low density polyethylene (LLDPE) accounted for the greatest increase in the output. At the same time, overall PP production in Russia increased in January-July 2020 by 24% year on year to 1,063,700 tonne. ZapSibNeftekhim accounted for the main increase in the output.

BASF is the leading chemical company. It produces a wide range of chemicals, for example solvents, amines, resins, glues, electronic-grade chemicals, industrial gases, basic petrochemicals and inorganic chemicals. The most important customers for this segment are the pharmaceutical, construction, textile and automotive industries. BASF generated sales of EUR59 billion in 2019.
MRC

MOSCOW (MRC) -- Milliken (Spartanburg, North Carolina) says it has joined the Polypropylene Recycling Coalition (PRC), an industry collaboration launched in July by The Recycling Partnership (TRP) aimed at improving recovery and recycling of polypropylene (PP) in the US, according to Chemweek.

The company says it will “tap into its material science expertize” to help the coalition increase the supply of high-quality recycled PP, including funding the PRC’s efforts to enhance PP recycling infrastructure in the US, establishing consumer education programs that encourage curbside recycling, and offering its product portfolio to packaging producers looking to use recycled PP material. Up to 1.6 billion pounds/year of PP could be available from single-family homes in the US for potential recycling into new products, according to the TRP, a non-profit organization.

The coalition aims to improve PP recycling by awarding financial grants for waste sorting equipment and supporting consumer education programs and research, with the goal of making it easier for PP to be recycled and ensuring more recyclers can sort waste material at their facilities.

Joining the coalition “will add a new dimension to our goal to boost plastic circularity - which includes maintaining a robust portfolio of additives and modifiers,” says Allen Jacoby, senior vice president/plastics additives at Milliken’s chemical division.

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, overall PP production in Russia increased in January-July 2020 by 24% year on year to 1,063,700 tonne. ZapSibNeftekhim accounted for the main increase in the output.

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

MOSCOW (MRC) -- Vietnam oil importers are offering domestic retailers a commission on diesel sales, in an unusual tactic to clear high inventories built up as the coronavirus pandemic has slashed demand, according to two sources, said Hydrocarbonprocessing.

The move underscores difficulties they face in moving the industrial fuel in emerging economies such as Vietnam which has posted the lowest second-quarter economic growth in decades. “Diesel demand is almost dead because it has been strongly disrupted in industrial factories where activity has been killed by COVID-19,” a Vietnam-based oil industry source said.

"So importers are offering sales commission bonuses to retailers to digest the huge inventory, but they still failed to sell." Refineries in Vietnam, which meet about 70% of the country’s fuel demand, usually have term contracts with retailers and traders, who, in turn, typically fill the demand-supply gap by importing fuels.

Last week, the importers offered a sales commission of about 2,500 Vietnam dong (USD0.1079) per litre of diesel, a second source said. The pump price of diesel in Vietnamese cities is around 12,000 dong per litre. Diesel, which accounts for about 30% to 40% of a refinery’s output, is used to fuel heavy machines and generators.

A source with Nghi Son refinery in Thanh Hoa province reported that its operations are being maintained at normal levels, though its fuel inventory has been higher recently. "This is because Dung Quat refinery has suspended its production for maintenance and many importers have scaled down their imports,” he said, referring to the 130,000-barrels-per-day refinery in the central province of Quang Ngai which is currently undergoing major maintenance.

A spokesman at Nghi Son refinery did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The sources declined to be named as they are not authorized to speak with media. Slow diesel sales in the region also caused middle distillates inventories at Asia’s oil hub Singapore to rise to over a nine-year high. Benchmark Asian diesel margins are currently languishing 75% lower than their historical average for this time of year, Refinitiv Eikon data showed. Vietnam’s gasoline demand has also been dented by fewer vehicles plying the streets, the sources said.

As MRC informed earlier, Nghi Son Refinery & Petrochemical (NSRP) has been facing a persistent technical issue that forces the company to take its polypropylene (PP) unit in Vietnam off-stream for a week starting 7 September for repair. The 370,000 tons/year PP line was operating at reduced rates over the past couple of weeks before the shutdown.

According to MRC's ScanPlast report, overall PP production in Russia increased in January-July 2020 by 24% year on year to 1,063,700 tonne. ZapSibNeftekhim accounted for the main increase in the output.
MRC