U.S. LNG exports set a record in November

MOSCOW (MRC) -- During the summer of 2020, monthly exports of liquefied natural gas (LNG) from the United States were the lowest in 26 months but have since increased, and in November, estimated LNG exports surpassed the previous record set in January 2020, said Hydrocarbonprocessing.

In the December 2020 Short-Term Energy Outlook, the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) estimated that November U.S. LNG exports reached 9.4 billion cubic feet per day (Bcf/d), which was 93% of peak LNG export capacity utilization.

Several factors contributed to the increase in U.S. LNG exports in recent months. International natural gas and LNG prices increased in Asia and Europe because global natural gas demand increased after COVID-19 restrictions were eased and global LNG supply fell due to unplanned outages at LNG export facilities in Australia, Malaysia, Qatar, Norway, Nigeria, and Trinidad and Tobago. In addition, 2.7 Bcf/d of new U.S. LNG export capacity was added in 2020, and several U.S. LNG terminals affected by hurricanes and annual maintenance have resumed LNG shipments.

As MRC informed earlier, Venture Global LNG announces that KBR has been awarded the EPC contract as lead contractor for Phase 1 of the Plaquemines LNG export project currently under development in Plaquemines Parish, Louisiana. KBR will integrate highly modularized, owner-furnished equipment for the 10 MMtpy nameplate facility, identical to the systems being successfully delivered and installed at Venture Global LNG’s Calcasieu Pass project.

As MRC informed earlier, KBR and Johnson Matthey (JM), announced that they have signed an alliance agreement to license a groundbreaking ammonia-methanol co-production process that combines their market-leading ammonia and methanol technologies.

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

Borealis, Bionerga commission waste-to-energy plant in Belgium

MOSCOW (MRC) -- Borealis and Bionerga announce the joint commissioning of Biostoom, a new waste-to-energy plant constructed and operated by Bionerga in Beringen, Belgium, said the company.

The long-term agreement between Borealis and Bionerga, a Belgium-based specialist in recovering energy from waste, has enabled Borealis to move closer to its goal of sourcing 50% of its total electricity consumption from renewable sources for operations in its major business areas by the year 2030. The new Biostoom Beringen facility is allowing Borealis to reduce the amount of natural gas used in operations by supplying steam and electricity recovered from processing of non-recyclable waste collected from nearby communities. The first electricity delivery took place in August, and the first steam was delivered in October 2020.

The new waste-to-energy plant processes non-recyclable wastes to generate steam and electricity, allowing Borealis to reduce the amount of natural gas used in operations at Beringen. "The Biostoom Beringen project is the perfect example of re-inventing for more sustainable living: if materials are not recyclable, recovering energy is the best alternative for waste that would otherwise be landfilled," said Martijn van Koten, Borealis executive vice president, Base Chemicals & Operations in a statement on Tuesday. “The fact that this project is sourcing non-recyclable waste from adjacent communities further strengthens the sustainability aspect," he added.

Details about project costs or capacities were not disclosed.

As MRC informed earlier, the light-feed 625,000-metric tons/year Borealis steam cracker at Stenungsund, Sweden, is remained shut as of early December after a fire broke out at the plant in May. And there are no update on this cracker's restart. The cracker has been under force majeure for over half a year after the blaze at the plant on 10 May, which was subsequently brought under control the following day.

Ethylene and propylene are feedstocks for producing PE and PP.

According to MRC's ScanPlast report, Russia's estimated PE consumption totalled 1,760,950 tonnes in the first ten months of 2020, up by 3% year on year. Only high density polyethylene (HDPE) and linear low density polyethylene (LLDPE) shipments increased. At the same time, PP shipments to the Russian market reached 978,870 tonnes in January-October 2020 (calculated using the formula: production minus exports plus imports minus producers' inventories as of 1 January, 2020). Supply of exclusively of PP random copolymer increased.
MRC

Sibur selects LyondellBasell PP process for Amur gas chemical complex in Russia

MOSCOW (MRC) -- LyondellBasell, the world’s leading licensor of polyolefin technologies, announced that the Amur Gas Chemical Complex project, being implemented by SIBUR Holding PJSC, the largest integrated petrochemicals company in Russia, has selected LyondellBasell’s Spheripol technology for a new facility, said the company.

The process technology will be used for a 400 KTA polypropylene unit to be built in Svobodny, Amur region, Russia. “We are honored that SIBUR has again opted to utilize the Spheripol technology for its Amur GCC project in the Russian Far East,” said Jim Seward, senior vice president of research and development, technology and sustainability at LyondellBasell. Seward added: “The process robustness and CAPEX effectiveness of the Spheripol process allows SIBUR to create benchmark polymers on a sustainable basis."

"LyondellBasell's technology will help to achieve the highest level of diversification at Amur GCC and expand SIBUR's mostly homopolymer-oriented portfolio with a few PP random copolymers by adding a wide array of other copolymers, e.g. high-impact polypropylene-ethylene copolymers, and thermoplastic grades", said Pavel Lyakhovich, Management Board Member and Managing Director of Basic Polymers Division at SIBUR. Total design capacity of AGCC is 2,700,000 KTA of PE and PP products.

Spheripol is the benchmark PP process technology with more than 30 million tons of licensed capacity. The latest fifth generation Spheripol technology includes process improvements that further maximize operational efficiency. The plant will commence operations using Avant ZN catalyst.

New licensees can take advantage of LyondellBasell’s in-house expertise of continuous production improvement, sustainable product development and catalyst knowhow, by optionally joining our Technical Service program.

According to MRC's DataScope report, Russian companies increased external purchases of polypropylene in November, imports reached 20,400 tonnes against 17,900 tonnes a month earlier. Thus, overall PP imports into Russia reached 202,000 tonnes in January-November 2020, compared to 167,400 tonnes a year earlier. Purchasing of all grades of propylene polymers in foreign markets increased, with homopolymer PP imports accounting for the most noticeable rise.

LyondellBasell is one of the largest plastics, chemicals and refining companies in the world. Driven by its employees around the globe. LyondellBasell sells products into more than 100 countries and is the world's largest producer of polymer compounds and the largest licensor of polyolefin technologies.
MRC

Ineos signs renewable power deal with RWE

MOSCOW (MRC) -- Ineos says it has agreed on a long-term power purchase agreement for renewable offshore wind power in Belgium with RWE (Essen, Germany), said Chemweek.

Under the terms of the 10-year deal, which begins in 2021, Ineos will purchase 56 megawatts (198 gigawatt hours/year) of offshore wind power from RWE Supply &Trading, an RWE subsidiary, produced at the Northwester2 wind park in the North Sea off Belgium.

The deal will take about 25% of Northwester2’s electricity. It will reduce the carbon footprint of Ineos’s operations in Belgium by a further 745,000 metric tons of CO2 over the length of the contract, which is the equivalent of taking 65,000 cars off the road each year, Ineos says.

It is the second renewable power supply agreement by Ineos, following a deal announced in September with Engie (Paris, France). The two agreements will reduce the carbon footprint of Ineos’s operations by almost 2 million metric tons of CO2 over the life of the contracts, Ineos says.

"We will continue to look at the options for further expanding the use of renewable energy, as agreements such as this support our roadmap towards a reduction in carbon-based energy across our sites," says David Thompson, CEO of the Ineos Trading business.

As MRC informed earlier, Ineos Oxide, an Ineos subsidiary, has declared force majeure on propylene output from one of the two steam crackers at Dormagen. This declaration was not confirmed by Ineos. There are two steam crackers at Dormagen, one with a capacity of 670,000 metric tons/year and another with a capacity of 530,000 metric tons/year.

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

According to MRC's ScanPlast report, PP shipments to the Russian market reached 978,870 tonnes in January-October 2020 (calculated using the formula: production minus exports plus imports minus producers' inventories as of 1 January, 2020). Supply of exclusively of PP random copolymer increased.

Ineos Group Limited is a privately owned multinational chemicals company consisting of 15 standalone business units, headquartered in Rolle, Switzerland and with its registered office in Lyndhurst, United Kingdom. It is the fourth largest chemicals company in the world measured by revenues (after BASF, Dow Chemical and LyondellBasell) and the largest privately owned company in the United Kingdom.
MRC

ExxonMobil takes 25% stake in Cyclyx recycling consortium

MOSCOW (MRC) -- ExxonMobil has joined Cyclyx International as a founding member, says Agilyx (Tigard, Oregon), which launched the consortium in June to leverage systems developed in-house to manage waste-plastic feedstock for chemical recycling, reported Chemweek.

In exchange for an USD8 million investment, ExxonMobil will receive a 25% equity interest as well as prioritized access to plastic waste for potential advanced recycling projects, access to Agilyx’s artificial intelligence platform, and agreement to collaborate on technology.

“One of Cyclyx’s goals is to invite other companies to join as members, connecting waste producers with advanced and mechanical recyclers through innovative supply chains,” says Agilyx.

Agilyx in 2019 entered into a partnership with General Electric through its licensing and research divisions to develop artificial intelligence, machine learning, and predictive modeling and optimization tools based on Agilyx’s data and domain knowledge to increase recycling rates for all waste plastics.

As MRC informed earlier, ExxonMobil underttook a planned shutdown at its cracker in Singapore. The company halted operations at the cracker for maintenance on September 14, 2020. The cracker was expected to remain off-line till end-October, 2020. Located at Jurong Island, Singapore, the cracker has an ethylene production capacity of 1 million mt/year and a propylene production capacity of 450,000 mt/year.

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

According to MRC's ScanPlast report, Russia's estimated PE consumption totalled 1,760,950 tonnes in the first ten months of 2020, up by 3% year on year. Only high density polyethylene (HDPE) and linear low density polyethylene (LLDPE) shipments increased. At the same time, PP shipments to the Russian market reached 978,870 tonnes in January-October 2020 (calculated using the formula: production minus exports plus imports minus producers' inventories as of 1 January, 2020). Supply of exclusively of PP random copolymer increased.

ExxonMobil is the largest non-government owned company in the energy industry and produces about 3% of the world"s oil and about 2% of the world"s energy.
MRC