Ineos Styrolution breaks ground on new ABS plant in Ningbo

MOSCOW (MRC) -- Ineos Styrolution, the global leader in styrenics, has broken ground for its new 600,000-tonnes/year acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene (ABS) plant located in Ningbo, China, according to Plastics Today.

The development of the new site is part of Ineos Styrolution’s larger expansion plans into China, following an earlier acquisition of two polystyrene (PS) production sites in Ningbo and Foshan.

The location of the new site was selected because of its extensive access to feedstock supply options and excellent supply chain connection to customers. The new site is expected to be operational by 2023.

The ground-breaking ceremony was hosted by Meizhu Fang, Ineos Styrolution APAC Project Director. Attendees included local government and business leaders, engineering and construction representatives, and several project service providers/partners.

“First, we want to thank the Ningbo Municipal Government, Zhenhai District Government, Sinopec Zhenhai Refining & Chemical Co., Ltd., Ningbo Zhoushan Port Group, State Grid Ningbo Power Supply Company and Ningbo Petrochemical Economic and Technological Development Zone administrative committee for providing their very strong support as we embark on this exciting project for our company,” said Steve Harrington, CEO Ineos Styrolution. “The successful completion of this project will be a significant step forward for our ambitious growth plans in China and will allow us to further serve our customers in their domestic market.”

Rob Buntinx, President Asia Pacific at Ineos Styrolution, added: “I am excited to see us building a world-class ABS manufacturing plant here in Ningbo. ABS is a versatile high performance styrenic resin. Its properties make it the material of choice for many everyday products across industries, including automotive, electronics, household, healthcare and toys/sports/leisure. This investment affirms our commitment to support the growth of our customers in Asia.”

According to MRC's ScanPlast report, Russia's estimated consumption of PS and styrene plastics totalled 410,780 tonnes in the first ten months of 2020, which corresponded to the same figure a year earlier. High impact polystyrene (HIPS) and general purpose polystyrene (GPPS) shipments increased, whereas demand for other PS grades subsided.

Ineos Styrolution is the leading global styrenics supplier, with a focus on styrene monomer, polystyrene, ABS Standard and styrenic specialties. With world-class production facilities and more than 90 years of experience, INEOS Styrolution helps its customers succeed by offering innovative and sustainable best-in-class solutions, designed to give them a competitive edge in their markets, and at the same time, help make the circular economy for styrenics a reality. The company provides styrenic applications for many everyday products across a broad range of industries, including automotive, electronics, household, construction, healthcare, packaging and toys/sports/leisure.
MRC

US energy-related carbon dioxide emissions forecast to fall 11% in 2020

MOSCOW (MRC) -- In 2020, carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions from the U. energy sector could be 11% lower than in 2019, according to Hydrocarbonprocessing with reference to US Energy Information Administration (EIA) data through August and EIA estimates for September through December.

According to values published in EIA’s December Short-Term Energy Outlook (STEO), EIA expects CO2 emissions in 2020 to fall by 19% for coal, by 13% for petroleum, and by 2% for natural gas. Many of this year’s changes in energy-related CO2 emissions are attributable to the economic and behavioral effects the COVID-19 pandemic has had on energy consumption.

EIA calculates energy-related CO2 emissions by multiplying energy consumption, measured in British thermal units, by the carbon factor associated with each energy source. For this reason, changes in emissions reflect both changes in the overall amount of energy consumed and the mix of energy sources used.

This year, US energy consumption was heavily affected by responses to COVID-19, including working from home and other stay-at-home measures, closed or limited operating hours for several types of businesses, and travel restrictions. In April, when many parts of the country instituted measures to slow the spread of COVID-19, monthly US energy consumption fell to a 30-year low and emissions fell to a record low.

Petroleum accounted for an estimated 45% of US energy-related CO2 emissions in 2020, and most of those emissions were from the transportation sector. CO2 emissions from petroleum in the transportation sector fell to 102 million metric tons in April 2020, the lowest monthly level since February 1983.

Natural gas, which accounted for an estimated 36% of US energy-related CO2 emissions in 2020, is consumed in several sectors. The electric power sector consumes the most natural gas of any sector, and EIA estimates that in 2020, although electricity consumption declined slightly, the use of natural gas to generate electricity increased.

Coal CO2 emissions this year could reach the lowest annual level (4,597 million metric tons, or 19% of the total) in EIA’s annual emissions series that dates back to 1973. In the electric power sector, where most coal is consumed in the United States, coal has lost market share to natural gas and renewables since peaking in 2007.

As MRC informed before, slumping fuel consumption during the pandemic is accelerating the long-term shift of refining capacity from North America and Europe to Asia, and from older, smaller refineries to modern, higher-capacity mega-refineries. The result is a wave of closures, often centering on refineries that only narrowly survived the previous closure wave in the years after the recession in 2008/09.

We remind that PetroChina has nearly doubled the amount of Russian crude being processed at its refinery in Dalian, the company's biggest, since January 2018, as a new supply agreement had come into effect. The Dalian Petrochemical Corp, located in the northeast port city of Dalian, was expected to process 13 million tonnes, or 260,000 bpd of Russian pipeline crude in 2018, up by about 85 to 90 percent from the previous year's level. Dalian has the capacity to process about 410,000 bpd of crude. The increase follows an agreement worked out between the Russian and Chinese governments under which Russia's top oil producer Rosneft was to supply 30 million tonnes of ESPO Blend crude to PetroChina in 2018, or about 600,000 bpd. That would have represented an increase of 50 percent over 2017 volumes.

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

According to MRC's ScanPlast report, Russia's estimated PE consumption totalled 1,760,950 tonnes in th 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

Koppers to expand performance chemicals capacity in South Carolina

MOSCOW (MRC) -- Koppers (Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania) has announced plans to expand production capacity for performance chemicals at its manufacturing facility in Rock Hill, South Carolina, said Chemweek.

The size of the capacity hike, an investment figure, and the scheduling has not been given. The company says it is purchasing a tract of land adjacent to its existing facility, which manufactures wood treatment chemicals used in a variety of infrastructure-related industries. The expansion will also enable Koppers to enhance process efficiencies and hire more employees, it says.

In a financial update last week, Kopper said its performance chemicals business was continuing to see strong demand for residential wood treatment preservatives in most regions. “The positive trends that we experienced in the third quarter have thus far carried into the early part of the fourth quarter, and are expected to persist for the remainder of the year,” said Leroy Ball, president and CEO.

In its outlook for the fiscal year 2020, the company said it expects sales to be approximately USD1.6 billion, down from USD1.65 billion in 2019. The 2020 sales total excludes its Koppers Jiangsu Carbon Chemical Company (KJCC; Jiangsu, China) joint venture in China, in which it sold its 75% ownership stake in October for USD107 million to Fangda Carbon New Material Co. and C-Chem Co., a subsidiary of Nippon Steel Chemical & Material Co.

EBITDA for the fiscal year 2020 is forecast to be in a range of USD204-210 million, compared to USD201.1 million in the prior year, it said.

As MRC informed earlier, Koppers postponed a scheduled refurbishment of its phthalic anhydride plant in Stickney, Illinois, USA until next April. The company intends to close this production with a capacity of 100,000 tonnes of phthalic anhydride per year in April to May 2021. The company will shut down both of its lines for three weeks, then only start one line over the next three weeks, as the catalyst will be replaced on the other line. The shutdown was originally planned to begin in early September, but has been delayed due to coronavirus and other factors.

Phthalic anhydride is widely used in for the production of paints and varnishes and plasticizers for PVC products. In a small amount it is used in the manufacture of rubber products, tires. In addition, it is used in the light, pharmaceutical and electrical industries.

According to a MRC's DataScope report, last month"s SPVC imports into the Ukrainian market decreased to 2,100 tonnes from 2,100 tonnes in October, with North American PVC accounting for the decrease in shipments. Overall SPVC imports reached 31,100 tonnes in January-November, compared to 44,700 tonnes a year earlier.
MRC

PP imports to Belarus up by 6% in Jan-Oct 2020

MOSCOW (MRC) -- Overall polypropylene (PP) imports into Belarus rose in the first ten months of 2020 by 6% year on year to 95,500 tonnes. At the same time, homopolymer of propylene (homopolymer PP) accounted for the greatest increase in demand, according to MRC's DataScope report.
October PP imports to the Republic of Belarus were 11,600 tonnes, which virtually corresponded to the same figure a month earlier. Local companies maintained high volumes of purchases of all grades of propylene polymers in Europe and Russia. Overall imports of propylene polymers reached 95,500 tonnes in January-October 2020, compared to 90,000 tonnes a year earlier; demand only for homopolymer PP increased, whereas demand for propylene copolymers decreased. The supply structure by PP grades looked the following way over the stated period.


October imports of homopolymer PP dropped to 7,700 tonnes from 8,300 tonnes a month earlier, purchases of injection moulding homopolymer PP from Middle Eastern producers decreased. Overall imports of homopolymer PP reached 69,000 tonnes in the first ten months of 2020, up by 14% year on year.

October imports of propylene copolymers to Belarus were 3,900 tonnes versus 3,300 tonnes a month earlier, local companies significantly raised their procurement of injection moulding block-copolymers of propylene (PP block copolymer) from Middle Eastern producers. Thus, overall imports of propylene copolymers reached 26,500 tonnes in January-October 2020, down by 11% year on year.

MRC

PVC imports to Belarus rose by 39% in Jan-Oct 2020

MOSCOW (MRC) -- Overall imports of unmixed polyvinyl chloride (PVC) into Belarus totalled 44,600 tonnes in the first ten months of 2020, up by 39% year on year, according to MRC's DataScope report.

According to the statistics committee of the Republic of Belarus, local converters reduced their purchasing of PVC in October 2020 on the back of a slight seasonal reduction in demand for finished products, total imports were 5,800 tonnes, whereas this figure was 6,200 tonnes a month earlier. Russian resin accounted for the main decrease in purchasing.

Thus, imports of unmixed PVC reached 44,600 tonnes in January-October 2020, compared to 32,200 tonnes a year earlier.


Russian producers with the share of about 85% of the Belarusian market were the key suppliers of resin to Belarus over the stated period. Producers from Germany and Ukraine with the share of approximately 8% and 5%, respectively, were the second and third largest suppliers.

MRC