Oil and gas industry cloud solution designed to combat corrosion

MOSCOW (MRC) -- SAP SE and DNV GL, one of the largest independent management and quality assurance experts, said they have teamed up to deliver a new industry cloud solution, Corrosion Under Insulation (CUI) Manager, designed to tackle a major problem facing the integrity of oil and gas plants, according to Hydrocarbonprocessing.

Corrosion Under Insulation Manager is one of the latest industry cloud solutions built and run on the open SAP Cloud Platform. These industry solutions use intelligent technologies, such as artificial intelligence and advanced analytics, to create compelling user experiences and to digitalize and automate operations. SAP and partners focus on solutions for the core business of our customers in their industries to help optimize end-to-end processes and to enable the development of new and differentiating business models.

“In collaboration with DNV GL, we will deliver the first industry cloud solution for the oil and gas industry,” said Benjamin Beberness, SAP Oil and Gas Business Unit global vice president.

CUI is the largest maintenance cost for offshore and onshore installations with insulated pipes. In close collaboration with the industry, DNV GL has developed a new risk-based methodology, published a new recommended practice and turned the insights into an easy-to-use interface with the CUI Manager. Through the strength of DNV GL’s models and the integration with SAP Asset Intelligence Network and the SAP Asset Strategy and Performance Management application, this solution will provide an efficient and standardized way to address the risk of CUI.

CUI Manager continuously assesses and calculates the CUI risk, helping integrity engineers and managers prevent failure, increase safety and manage hidden threats. It optimizes asset strategy and planning by providing detailed, instant insights on current and planned risk as well as the resulting cost development. The solution’s full integration with SAP Asset Strategy and Performance Management enables calculation and visualization of the complete risk picture using SAP Cloud Platform.

“The combination of DNV GL’s deep technical insight and state-of-the-art software solutions with SAP’s cloud-based solutions for intelligent asset management will generate significant value for our customers,” said DNV GL - Oil & Gas, CEO, Liv A. Hovem. “We look forward to bringing additional solutions to the market jointly with SAP in the near future.”

As MRC reported earlier, oil producers face an unprecedented challenge to balance supply and demand as factors including the pace and response to COVID-19 vaccines cloud the outlook, according to an official with International Energy Agency's (IEA) statement.

We remind that the COVID-19 outbreak has led to an unprecedented decline in demand affecting all sections of the Russian economy, which has impacted the demand for petrochemicals in the short-term. However, the pandemic triggered an increase in the demand for polymers in food packaging, and cleaning and hygiene products, according to GlobalData, a leading data and analytics company. With Russian petrochemical companies having the advantage of access to low-cost feedstock, and proximity to demand-rich Asian (primarily China) and European markets for the supply of petrochemical products, these companies appear to be well-positioned to derive full benefits from an improving market environment and global economy post-COVID-19, says GlobalData.

We also remind that in December 2020, Sibur, Gazprom Neft, and Uzbekneftegaz agreed to cooperate on potential investments in Uzbekistan including a major expansion of Uzbekneftegaz’s existing Shurtan Gas Chemical Complex (SGCC) and the proposed construction of a new gas chemicals facility. The signed cooperation agreement for the projects includes “the creation of a gas chemical complex using methanol-to-olefins (MTO) technology, and the expansion of the production capacity of the Shurtan Gas Chemical Complex”.

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

According to MRC's DataScope report, PE imports to Russia decreased in January-November 2020 by 17% year on year and reached 569,900 tonnes. High density polyethylene (HDPE) accounted for the greatest reduction in imports. At the same time, PP imports into Russia increased by 21% year on year to about 202,000 tonnes in the first eleven months of 2020. Propylene homopolymer (homopolymer PP) accounted for the main increase in imports.
MRC

MOSCOW (MRC) -- Italian oil and gas group Eni has put on hold the sale of Australian gas assets it values at around $1 billion after they failed to attract satisfactory bids, two sources close to the matter said, confirming a press report, said Hydrocarbonprocessing.

One of the sources said offers had been well below what Eni had expected. A spokesman for Eni said the group would not comment on a press report.

"However, Eni confirms its strategy of rationalisation of its production portfolio, which will only become effective when conditions are met for the assets concerned to be adequately valued," he said. News that the sale process had been halted was reported first by Italian daily MF on Tuesday.

The disposal of its Australian gas assets is part of Eni's plans to sell non-core assets to raise cash after the global downturn triggered by the coronavirus pandemic, and its drive to focus on cleaner fuels.

Eni and its adviser Citi had expected binding bids for the gas assets in Australia by the end of November, two sources had said.

As MRC informed earlier, Abu Dhabi National Oil Co, the UAE's biggest energy producer, has awarded Italy's Eni and Thailand's PTTEP an exploration concession amid plans to boost oil production capacity by 25% to 5 million b/d by 2030. The Eni-PTTEP consortium won rights to look for oil and gas in Offshore Block 3, the second award in ADNOC's second bidding round, the company said in a statement Dec. 21. Occidental Petroleum won the first concession in the second bidding round, which was launched in 2019.

As MRC reported previously, in early May, 2020, Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC) began a gradual restart of its Ruwais oil refinery complex after a scheduled maintenance shutdown. The Ruwais complex, which has capacity of 835,000 barrels per day, was shut down early this year, the ADNOC spokesman said.

And in late July 2019, ADNOC said its Ruwais refinery west cracker was offline for maintenance.

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

According to MRC's DataScope report, PE imports to Russia decreased in January-November 2020 by 17% year on year and reached 569,900 tonnes. High density polyethylene (HDPE) accounted for the greatest reduction in imports. At the same time, PP imports into Russia increased by 21% year on year to about 202,000 tonnes in the first eleven months of 2020. Propylene homopolymer (homopolymer PP) accounted for the main increase in imports.

MRC

MOSCOW (MRC) -- Versalis, Eni's chemical company and a leader in the production and marketing of elastomers, and AGR, company that owns technology for the devulcanization of post-consumer elastomers, have signed an agreement to develop technological innovations and new products and applications with recycled rubber, reported GV.

The aim of the agreement is to pool their respective expertise to develop and market a new range of elastomer-based products made from granulated rubber from post-consumer products, thus meeting the growing circular economy needs of manufacturers of tyres and other rubber products.

Versalis will make available the laboratories of its research centres in Ravenna and Ferrara (both Italy), as well as the necessary equipment for development, both in terms of formulation and technology. AGR will make its technological platform available at its plant in Cumiana (Turin, Italy). The initiative will be developed in collaboration with the EcoTyre Consortium, which manages a national network for the collection and processing of ELTs (End-of-Life Tyres) from which granulated rubber will be obtained.

With this new circular economy initiative, Versalis aims to expand the range of Versalis Revive products, made of recycled materials. This will include the elastomeric materials segment, in which it is leader in terms of technological and application expertise.

As MRC informed before, Versalis, the chemicals subsidiary of Eni (Rome, Italy), has reduced production at its 65,000-metric tons/year acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene (ABS) plant at Mantova, Italy, to 50% until at least February 2021 due to one of its suppliers declaring force majeure.

We remind that in 2019, Versalis unveiled plans to increase production capacity for ABS at its Mantua, Italy, facility. The project will boost ABS capacity at its existing unit by 30,000 t/y. The engineering phase ha already begun, and production was scheduled to start in 2020.

According to ICIS-MRC Price report, ABS imports into Russia rose in the first eleven months of 2020 by 2% year on year to 32,000 tonnes from 31,300 tonnes a year earlier. South Korean shipments accounted for 62% (19,900 tonnes) in January-November 2020 versus the share of 58% (18,200 tonnes) a year earlier. .

Eni is an Italian multinational oil and gas company headquartered in Rome. It has operations in in 79 countries, and is currently Italy's largest industrial company. The Italian government owns a 30.3% golden share in the company, 3.93% held through the state Treasury and 26.37% held through the Cassa depositi e prestiti. Another 39.40% of the shares are held by BNP Paribas.
MRC

MOSCOW (MRC) -- BASF has announced that the implementation of the methylene diphenyl diisocyanate (MDI) capacity increase programme for production facilities at its Verbund site in Geismar, LA, USA, is progressing on schedule, according to GV.

Over time, the company targets to double the capacity from 300,000 t/y to approximately 600,000 t/y. BASF said with this stepwise capacity addition, it will support the ongoing growth of its North American MDI customers.

The first phase, which is the construction of a new MDI synthesis unit, is complete and in operation. At the same time, an older MDI synthesis unit is no longer in service. Although the instant capacity addition is limited, the new MDI production unit sets the foundation for future growth through capacity increases of upstream units.

In the second phase, for which construction is currently ongoing, BASF will be expanding several upstream units and by doing so, increase MDI overall output of the Geismar complex by approximately one third. Startup of this second phase is expected in the second half of 2021. The potential final phase is targeted to be completed by mid of the decade. It is expected to bring the MDI capacity to approximately 600,000 t/y.

“The North American MDI market and our customers remain a key focus and we are pursuing this investment to support their growth,” said Ramkumar Dhruva, President of BASF’s Monomers division. “BASF supports customer growth by providing innovative polyurethane solutions that reduce energy consumption and carbon emissions. Some examples include improved insulation for buildings and lightweight materials for the automotive industry,” Dhruva said.

Stefan Doerr, Head of BASF’s Monomers business in North America, added: “The Geismar site is ideally suited for this investment thanks to its existing infrastructure, competitive raw materials and ongoing strong business support from state and local government. With this integrated facility, BASF will continue to be a leading MDI supplier in North America as well as globally.”

As MRC reported earlier, nn 17 December, 2020, BASF opened its ASEAN Technical Development Center adjacent to its existing polyurethane (PU) System House at Bangpoo site in Thailand. The new facility houses a state-of-the-art pre-polymer reactor technology to produce a hardener (component B) - a key component to boost product development efficiency, thereby enabling faster time-to-market of PU materials and solutions.

We remind that German chemicals maker BASF said in early November it had put a project to build a petrochemicals complex in India worth up to USD4 billion on hold due to the economic uncertainty caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. BASF signed a memorandum of understanding with Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC), Adani Group and Borealis AG in October 2019 to evaluate a collaboration to build the chemical site in Mundra, in India’s Gujarat state.

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

According to MRC's DataScope report, PE imports to Russia decreased in January-November 2020 by 17% year on year and reached 569,900 tonnes. High density polyethylene (HDPE) accounted for the greatest reduction in imports. At the same time, PP imports into Russia increased by 21% year on year to about 202,000 tonnes in the first eleven months of 2020. Propylene homopolymer (homopolymer PP) accounted for the main increase in imports.

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.
MRC

MOSCOW (MRC) -- A consortium including Hyundai Engineering Co Ltd and KBR Inc has expressed interest in a contract to renovate Ecuador’s 110,000-barrel per day (bpd) Esmeraldas refinery, Energy Minister Rene Ortiz and the companies said, as per Hydrocarbonprocessing.

Last year, Ortiz announced the search for a private company to invest around USD2.4 billion in the refinery, owned by state oil company Petroecuador, to boost fuel output at the plant and help the cash-strapped South American country reduce imports of refined products.

The consortium plans to receive financing from Morgan Stanley. It has until February to present a final bid for the project, according to a timeline presented by the energy ministry. The government will make a final decision on awarding the contract in March.

The contract will then be signed in April. The deal is part of President Lenin Moreno’s efforts to boost private investment in Ecuador’s struggling economy. He is set to leave office in May after presidential elections next month.

The consortium also includes Texas-based companies RGFx Initiatives and Energlobal Investment Group. Neither authorities nor representatives of the four companies who attended a press conference clarified how much the consortium was expected to invest, or the fees the consortium would receive for eventually delivering refined products to the state for domestic sale.

As per MRC, KBR announced that Sinochem Quanzhou Petrochemical Co. has successfully commissioned a new ethylene facility in Quanzhou, Fujian Province, China, utilizing KBR's SCORE (Selective Cracking Optimum Recovery) technology. The 1-million-t/y ethylene plant is part of Sinochem's grassroots integrated refining and petrochemical complex, which also includes a 400,000-t/y high-density polyethylene (HDPE) facility, which recently achieved on-spec production, as well as an 800,000-t/y paraxylene (PX) plant, a 350,000-t/y polypropylene (PP) unit and an aromatics extraction unit with 300,000 t/y of capacity.

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

According to MRC's DataScope report, PE imports to Russia decreased in January-November 2020 by 17% year on year and reached 569,900 tonnes. High density polyethylene (HDPE) accounted for the greatest reduction in imports. At the same time, PP imports into Russia increased by 21% year on year to about 202,000 tonnes in the first eleven months of 2020. Propylene homopolymer (homopolymer PP) accounted for the main increase in imports.

MRC