TUV SUD builds first mobile testing facility for hydrogen refueling stations

MOSCOW (MRC) -- TUV SUD National Engineering Laboratory has secured Government funding to build the UK’s first mobile primary standard facility for testing hydrogen refueling stations (HRS) to ensure they deliver the correct amount of fuel, said Hydrocarbonprocessing.

Funded by the Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy (BEIS), through the National Measurement System mechanism, the mobile facility will ensure accurate and consistent measurement of the dispensed quantity of fuel at HRS. This will assure drivers of hydrogen fuel cell electric vehicles (FCEVs) that financial transactions are correct and ensure accurate fiscal measurements for future taxation purposes.

Dr Martin Hanton, technical director at TUV SUD National Engineering Laboratory, said: "The design of petrol and diesel refueling stations is highly standardized and if hydrogen FCEVs are to become a viable transport choice, then establishing a standardized refueling infrastructure is crucial. Ensuring the consumer gets what they pay for at the refueling station necessitates accuracy at the nozzle, not the meter. We must therefore bring the calibration facility to the refueling station and that is precisely what we will do with our new mobile primary standard," concluded Hanton.

The international accuracy requirements for HRS fuel dispensers are mandated as ±2% for new installations. However, current ranges can be anywhere between ±1 – 10%. Furthermore, if a consumer disputes the dispensed volume, Trading Standards cannot investigate at present as the UK currently has no traceability chain that is linked to a physical primary standard for hydrogen, or the equipment and skills to test fuel dispensers. TUV SUD National Engineering Laboratory’s new mobile facility will provide this measurement traceability for the UK and the only practical, traceable capability to test hydrogen refueling stations for dispensed quantity at the nozzle in the country.

Marc MacDonald, head of Clean Fuels at TUV SUD National Engineering Laboratory, said: “From our involvement in EU projects such as MetroHyVe, it is clear that the dispensed quantity performance of HRS can be variable, in part due to inconsistency in design. We have seen that compliance with the prevailing regulation (OIML R-139) is possible, but not always achieved, especially if less than a full tank fill is delivered. We will use our new mobile facility to work with industry and test HRS for compliance with the regulations, which is essential to ensure public support for FCEVs use."

TUV SUD National Engineering Laboratory has selected Edinburgh-based hydrogen technology specialist Logan Energy to construct the mobile test facility. Chosen for their proven track-record in delivering integrated hydrogen technologies, the company has successfully supported the development and deployment of zero emission technologies throughout the UK and Europe.

Bill Ireland, CEO of Logan Energy, said: “This is an exciting collaboration between two Scotland-based teams and is fantastic recognition of our expertise and experience in delivering hydrogen systems and refueling stations. This project is all about accuracy in a process that has proved difficult to control. We will be setting industry standards to ensure accuracy when it comes to refueling vehicles."

Once completed, the new mobile primary standard facility will also be used to conduct a research campaign, which will be used to update industry guidance for the design, construction, modification and maintenance of HRS. This latest project supports TUV SUD National Engineering Laboratory’s ongoing work as part of the European Metrology Programme for Innovation and Research (EMPIR) Metrology for Hydrogen Vehicles program, which is part of the world’s first large-scale research project to tackle hydrogen fuel measurement inaccuracy challenges.

As MRC informed previously, global oil demand may have already peaked, according to BP's latest long-term energy outlook, as the COVID-19 pandemic kicks the world economy onto a weaker growth trajectory and accelerates the shift to cleaner fuels.

Earlier this year, BP said the deadly coronavirus outbreak could cut global oil demand growth by 40 per cent in 2020, putting pressure on Opec producers and Russia to curb supplies to keep prices in check.

And 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 1,594,510 tonnes in the first nine months of 2020, up by 1% year on year. Only high denstiy polyethylene (HDPE) shipments increased. At the same time, PP shipments to the Russian market reached 880,130 tonnes in the nine months of 2020 (calculated using the formula: production minus exports plus imports, excluding producers' inventories as of 1 January, 2020). Supply increased exclusively of PP random copolymer.

MRC

MOSCOW (MRC) -- S&B has announced the successful, on-time completion of two NGL fractionation plants for Phillips 66, reported Hydrocarbonprocessing.

The plants have a combined capacity of 300,000 bpd, quadrupling the processing capacity at the Phillips 66 Sweeny Hub.

“The successful completion of this project is due to our team and the partnership we created with Phillips 66 throughout the entire process,” said David Taylor, COO of S&B Engineers and Constructors. “Planning, designing, and building a large-scale plant, such as this, takes a significant amount of time and effort. Phillips 66 trusted our processes, procedures and workflows, which created an environment that allowed us all to succeed.”

The on-time mechanical completion of this project has increased significance because peak construction occurred at a time when COVID-19 cases were rising in the United States.

“Safety is our number one value at S&B,” said Taylor. “With 2,000 people working on site, we took precautions early to ensure the safety of our team members. Mandates for face coverings, staggered lunches and buses, social distancing, and compliance auditing were all important protocol changes that our team members had to accommodate to keep each other safe.”

In the last five years, S&B has designed and built 13 NGL fractionation plants. With the completion of this project S&B has now designed and installed more than 2 MMbpd of NGL fractionation capacity for its clients.

This project added the second and third fractionation plants to the original first train built for Phillips 66. All three plants were executed contractually lump sum in the Phillips 66 Sweeny Hub in Old Ocean, Texas.

As MRC informed before, last month, US refiner Phillips 66 said it plans to reconfigure its refinery in Rodeo, California to produce renewable fuels from used cooking oil, fats, greases and soybean oils.

We remind that US-based Phillips 66 remains open to developing another ethane cracker for its Chevron Phillips Chemical (CP Chem) joint venture, the refiner's CEO said in March 2018.

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

According to MRC's ScanPlast report, Russia's estimated PE consumption totalled 1,594,510 tonnes in the first nine months of 2020, up by 1% year on year. Only high denstiy polyethylene (HDPE) shipments increased. At the same time, PP shipments to the Russian market reached 880,130 tonnes in the nine months of 2020 (calculated using the formula: production minus exports plus imports, excluding producers' inventories as of 1 January, 2020). Supply increased exclusively of PP random copolymer.
MRC

MOSCOW (MRC) -- Chemical services company AquaChemie Middle East, part of the UAE-based AquaChemie Group, today broke ground on its petrochemical terminal in DP World’s flagship, Jebel Ali Port, Dubai, said Chemweek.

The specialized bulk storage terminal will have a total envisaged capacity of around 40,000 CBM, out of which 35,000 CBM will be in bulk storage tanks and about 5,000 CBM in ISO tanks and drums. The $40 million project aims to boost the growing petrochemical trade between manufacturers and end-users in the Middle East and the world, while also addressing the acute shortage of storage facilities for redistribution and lease for bulk chemicals in Jebel Ali Port.

Scheduled for construction completion by early Q2 2022, the terminal is designed to store flammable chemicals, up to NFPA Class 1B. Over 100 chemicals of UN Class3 hazardous classification or non-hazardous chemicals can be stored in the facility’s nitrogen blanketed tanks. AquaChemie Middle East targets revenue of around USD400 million from the petrochemical terminal business in the next 7 years. Matt MacDonald, global engineering, management, and development consultancy, is responsible for the design, engineering, and project management.

“The entire AquaChemie team and I are eagerly waiting for this project to come into reality in the next 16-18 months’ time. This terminal project is a huge step for AquaChemie; to become one of the prominent players in the petrochemical business in the region,” V. Anandkumar, Partner and Director at AquaChemie Middle East said.

“Being associated with the petrochemicals industry for over three decades, I am excited to soon play a direct role in the distribution of additional 100-150 KTA (Kilo tonnes per annum) of over 50 petrochemicals globally,” Subrato Saha, Co-Founder and Director of AquaChemie Middle East, said.

According to Saha, the new terminal will serve as a one-stop solution for sourcing raw materials and processing chemicals for several industries and is poised to service sectors like oil and gas downstream, fine chemicals, fertilizer plants, paints and coatings, pharma, agrochemicals, textiles, and other industrial products.

As MRC informed earlier, Japanese multinational, through its subsidiary Kurita Europe GmbH, an international leader in waterprocess specialty chemicals, and UAE-based AquaChemie DMCC, a leading regional process industry player, have signed a strategic agreement to set up a joint venture company, under the name of Kurita AquaChemie.

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

According to MRC's ScanPlast report, Russia's estimated PE consumption totalled 1,594,510 tonnes in the first nine months of 2020, up by 1% year on year. Only high denstiy polyethylene (HDPE) shipments increased. At the same time, PP shipments to the Russian market reached 880,130 tonnes in the nine months of 2020 (calculated using the formula: production minus exports plus imports, excluding producers' inventories as of 1 January, 2020). Supply increased exclusively of PP random copolymer.

AquaChemie was established in Dubai, UAE, in late 2008. Since then, it has expanded its operation all across the GCC region, with a strategic presence in Hong Kong. AquaChemie DMCC is its flagship company, managing the chemicals business. AquaChemie is into specialty chemicals manufacturing, sales, distribution, services, and bulk terminal operation. It has corporate offices, manufacturing facilities, bulk storage terminal, warehouses, a fleet of ISO tanks, and operation skids in GCC countries. With a team of over 120 people, driven by expertise, experience, and ethics, AquaChemie is one of the fastest-growing chemicals companies in the Middle East.
MRC

MOSCOW (MRC) -- Cabot Corp. (Boston, Massachusetts) reports a fiscal fourth-quarter net loss of USD272 million, down from income of USD33 million in the year-ago period. Sales totaled USD659 million, down 20% year-over-year (YOY) from USD827 million, according to Chemweek.

The loss includes USD310 million in after-tax charges, mainly related to the sale and asset impairment of the company’s lignite mine in Texas. Adjusted earnings per share came to USD0.68, down 35% YOY from USD1.05, but well ahead of the average analyst estimate of USD0.58 as compiled by Zacks Investment Research.

“I am very pleased to see the strong sequential demand momentum in the fourth quarter largely driven by an improving global economy and steady improvement in the tire and automotive sectors,” says president and CEO Sean Keohane. “At the segment level, we experienced a significant sequential improvement in demand in reinforcement materials this quarter as customers increased their production levels. In performance chemicals, we saw a modest sequential improvement in volumes as key end markets begin to recover, and in purification solutions, we executed the next step in our transformation plan by selling our lignite mine in Marshall, Texas, and entering into a long-term supply agreement for activated carbon from ADES.”

Keohane says he is encouraged by the pace of recovery in automotive and tires, and Cabot expects both YOY and sequential EBIT improvement in the first quarter of fiscal 2021, which began in October. “Reinforcement materials is expected to benefit from improved margins, particularly in Asia, and we anticipate that performance chemicals will benefit in both volumes and product mix from a strengthening automotive end market,” says the CEO.

Cabot forecasts adjusted earnings per share in the first fiscal quarter of USD0.80-0.90.

The reinforcement materials segment reported EBIT of USD59 million, down USD12 million YOY. Sales totaled USD325 million, down USD127 million, or 28%. An 11% volume decline was partially offset by improved pricing.

The performance chemicals segment reported EBIT of USD25 million, down USD16 million YOY, owing mainly to a less favorable product mix in the specialty carbons and fumed metal oxides, and by a more competitive pricing in fumed metal oxides. Sales totaled USD226 million, down USD33 million, or 13%. Volumes decreased by 9% in the formulated solutions business, driven by declines in specialty compounds and inkjet product lines. Volumes increased 2% in performance additives, driven by the recent energy materials acquisition.

The purification solutions segment reported EBIT of breakeven, down USD3 million YOY. Sales totaled USD67 million, down USD1 million, or 1.5%.

As MRC informed before, Cabot Corporation (Boston, Massachusetts) reports a fiscal third-quarter net loss of USD6 million, down from income of USD32 million in the year-ago quarter. Net sales totaled USD518 million, down 39% year-over-year (YOY) from USD845 million. The company attributes the results to the sharp decline in the automotive and tire sectors. Adjusted earnings per share came to a 7-cent loss, down from profit of USD1.00 in the year-ago period, and short of the average analyst estimate of a 2-cent loss as compiled by Refinitiv (New York).

We remind that Russia's output of chemical products rose in September 2020 by 6.7% year on year.
At the same time, production of basic chemicals increased year on year by 6.1% in the first nine months of 2020, according to Rosstat's data. According to the Federal State Statistics Service of the Russian Federation, polymers in primary form accounted for the greatest increase in the January-September output. September production of primary polymers decreased to 852,000 tonnes against 888,000 tonnes in August due to shutdowns in Tomsk, Ufa and Kazan. Overall output of polymers in primary form totalled 7,480,000 tonnes over the stated period, up by 16.4% year on year.

Cabot Corporation is an American specialty chemicals and performance materials company headquartered in Boston, Massachusetts. The company operates in over 20 countries with 36 manufacturing plants, eight research and development facilities and 28 sales offices.
MRC

MOSCOW (MRC) -- Henkel has had four of its Loctite photopolymer materials validated on EnvisionTEC’s latest 3D printing platforms after the pair agreed to expand their partnership, said Chemweek.

For two years, the companies had focused on the development of applications, in industries such as the medical sector, but now are working to support the volume production of end-use components by expanding the range of materials available to EnvisionTEC users. Through this alliance, EnvisionTEC’s patented continuous Digital Light Manufacturing (cDLM) High Temperature (HT) platform will be included within Henkel’s broad 3D printing ecosystem, with Loctite branded formulation being validated for use on EnvisionTEC’s cDLM HT and XtremeDLP platforms.

Among the materials initially validated for use on these EnvisionTEC systems are Loctite 3D 3955 HDT280 FST, a halogen free material boasting flame retardant properties and a high heat deflection temperature, while being the first 3D photopolymer to pass vertical burn and aerospace FST standards; Loctite 3D IND406 HDT100 High Elongation, which is a tough material with good dimensional stability that is said to be suitable for tooling, interior and machinery parts; Loctite 3D 3843 HDT60 High Toughness, a high impact resin with excellent surface finish that is said to be ideal for durable parts production, tooling and low temperature moulding applications; and Loctite 3D IND402 A70 High Rebound, which is a material that does not require thermal post-processing and is able to produce lattice structures for parts like midsoles and soft inserts.

By teaming these materials with EnvisionTEC’s cDLM Digital Light Processing technology, the partners believe DLP adoption for industrial production means will be accelerated taking the technology to ‘the next level’. “We are thrilled to expand our partnership with EnvisionTEC and their innovative cDLM technology,” commented Dr Simon Mawson, Senior Vice President and Global Head of 3D Printing at Henkel. “EnvisionTEC’s new E1 High Temp printer allows Henkel to move beyond the boundaries of viscosity limitations by enabling highly viscous or solid resins, such as Loctite 3955 FST, the first 3D photopolymer that passes vertical burn and aerospace FST standards and Loctite IND402, a single component elastomer material with high resilience and tensile strength, to be heated and printed under controlled conditions. These new generation Loctite materials combined with EnvisionTEC E1 High Temp printers will accelerate the adoption of industrial additive manufacturing."

“For 19 years EnvisionTEC has focused on delivering not just equipment or materials, but true solutions,” commented EnvisionTEC CEO Al Siblani. “We are pleased that our hard work and collaboration with Henkel over the past two years has resulted in the ability to now offer practical solutions to high-volume manufacturing applications that will disrupt traditional processes while offering a solid ROI."

As MRC informed earlier, Henkel AG & Co. KGaA (Dusseldorf, Germany) announced that Henkel Adhesives Technologies has officially inaugurated its new production facility in Kurkumbh, India.

Henkel are also partnering with Borealis and plastics solutions company Borouge to develop flexible packaging solutions for detergents containing both virgin polyethylene (PE) and high amounts of post-consumer recyclate (PCR) in efforts to increase sustainability.

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

According to MRC's ScanPlast report, Russia's estimated PE consumption totalled 1,496,500 tonnes in the first eight months of 2020, up by 5% year on year. Shipments of all ethylene polymers increased, except for linear low desnity polyethylene (LLDPE). At the same time, PP shipments to the Russian market reached 767,2900 tonnes in the eight months of 2020 (calculated using the formula - production minus exports plus imports - and not counting producers' inventories as of 1 January, 2020). Supply increased exclusively of PP random copolymer.
MRC