Caribbean oil refinery ceases operations upon receipt of US regulators order

MOSCOW (MRC) -- US regulators ordered the Limetree Bay refinery on St. Croix, US Virgin Islands, to cease operations for at least 60 days, throwing the multibillion-dollar overhaul of the massive plant into jeopardy, reported Reuters.

The Caribbean refinery has suffered several financial and operational setbacks since its private equity owners sought to restart the 1,500 acre (607-hectare) facility idled since 2012. It voluntarily stopped processing this week after showering nearby homes with an oily mist for the second time this year.

The incident exceeded the plant's permit for sulfur dioxide emissions, the US Environmental Protection Agency said. The EPA ordered the facility closed "due to multiple improperly conducted operations that present an imminent risk to public health" and signaled it might take further action.

A Limetree spokeswoman did not respond to requests for comment. On Thursday, a malfunction in a processing unit led the company to send staff to inspect local properties. It advised residents not to drink from rainwater cisterns.

Its former owners filed for bankruptcy in 2015, facing heavy losses and US Clean Air Act violations that required millions of dollars in upgrades. In 2016, Boston-based private equity firm Arclight Capital Partners acquired it and recruited other investors including EIG Global Partners that put about $3 billion into a plan to begin processing 210,000 barrels per day of crude into gasoline, diesel and fuel oil.

Conditions at the old facility caused delays, as did the COVID-19 pandemic. After an extensive overhaul, operators last year began restarts that led to a fire. Oil rained on nearby homes for the second time in four months.

"These repeated incidents at the refinery have been and remain totally unacceptable. Today, I have ordered the refinery to immediately pause all operations until we can be assured that this facility can operate in accordance with laws that protect public health," EPA Administrator Michael Regan said in a statement.

Regan called for an independent audit of operations and for the refinery to develop a plan to correct repeated malfunctions.

As MRC informed earlier, in early May, the EPA said if it determines that Limetree's operations present an "imminent risk" to residents health, it would take appropriate action to safeguard the public. EPA sent air monitors to the island in the first week of May to measure sulfur dioxide and hydrogen sulfide emissions, though they are not functional as yet.

Meanwhile, Limetree Bay said air quality testing near its US Virgin Islands refinery found zero concentrations of sulfur dioxide, hours after the National Guard said it found elevated levels of the chemical during its own testing.

We remind that in late March 2021, EPA said it had revoked an expansion permit for the Limetree Bay oil refinery in the US Virgin Islands, citing concerns that the area around the facility is overburdened with pollution. The decision allowed the plant to keep operating but blocked ongoing expansion work pending an EPA review to assess measures the facility needs to take to protect nearby residents.

Ethylene and propylene are the main feedstocks for the production of polyethylene (PE) and polypropylene (PP), respectively.

According to MRC's ScanPlast report, Russia's estimated PE consumption totalled 576,270 tonnes in the first three month of 2021, up by 4% year on year. Low density polyethylene (LDPE) and high density polyethylene (HDPE) shipments increased. At the same time, PP shipments to the Russian market totalled 410,890 tonnes in January-March 2021, up by 56% year on year. Supply of homopolymer PP and PP block copolymers increased.
MRC

MOSCOW (MRC) -- Royal Dutch Shell said it will be working with a university in Singapore in a research project worth SD4.6 million (USD3.4 million) over three years to convert carbon dioxide to fuels and petrochemicals, reported Reuters.

Researchers from Shell and the National University of Singapore (NUS) will develop processes to produce ethanol and n-propanol from carbon dioxide, a byproduct from industrial processes, the two organizations said in separate statements on their websites.

Ethanol and n-propanol can be blended with gasoline to produce cleaner burning fuels or further be dehydrated to produce ethylene and propylene, basic building blocks for plastics, they said. Current methods of converting carbon dioxide to fuels and chemicals are unable to produce the desired types of chemicals with yields that can meet industrial needs, NUS said.

As MRC informed before, in January, 2021, Shell Plc's Singapore bunkering unit, Shell Eastern Trading Pte Ltd, moved up a notch to be the top marine fuel supplier in the world's biggest ship refueling hub in 2020, official data showed, while the overall number of suppliers steadied after years of declines.

Ethylene and propylene are the main feedstocks for the production of polyethylene (PE) and polypropylene (PP), respectively.

According to MRC's ScanPlast report, Russia's estimated PE consumption totalled 576,270 tonnes in the first three month of 2021, up by 4% year on year. Low density polyethylene (LDPE) and high density polyethylene (HDPE) shipments increased. At the same time, PP shipments to the Russian market totalled 410,890 tonnes in January-March 2021, up by 56% year on year. Supply of homopolymer PP and PP block copolymers increased.
MRC

MOSCOW (MRC) -- Solvay will power some of its sites in North America fully through the use of renewable energy, said he company.

Solvay’s Climate & Energy Transition team is pleased to announce they have executed agreements with NextEra Energy Marketing, LLC to purchase EarthEra Renewable Energy Certificates (RECs) under their EarthEra REC program. This means that Solvay’s Aroma Performance, Specialty Polymers and Novecare* Global Business Units, along with their commitment to the Jasper solar project, will cover 100% of their site's electricity purchases in North America with renewable energy starting in January 2021.

EarthEra is a renewable energy trust that is managed by an independent third-party trustee. Solvay USA, Inc will buy RECs from NextEra Energy Marketing under this program. The RECs Solvay will receive will be GreenE certified RECs; 100% of the funds generated from the sale of the RECs go to the development of new renewable projects. The EarthEra Trust has been approved to support the reduction of CO2 for meeting Solvay’s sustainability goals.

The recent purchase will add to Solvay’s existing supply of renewable energy in North America from the solar farm in Jasper County, South Carolina, which generates 164,000MWh/year from more than 250,000 solar panels. The venture will contribute to Solvay's carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions reductions strategy, as part of its one planet sustainability initiative.

I was earlier said, Solvay closed two composite materials factories and cut 570 jobs following the coronavirus pandemic. Solvay will cease operations at its Manchester, UK, and Tulsa, Oklahoma, USA plants and relocate production to other plants. As a result, second quarter revenues will decrease by EUR30 million in the second quarter, but annual savings will amount to EUR60 million. The process will be completed at the end of the year.

Ethylene and propylene are the main feedstocks for the production of polyethylene (PE) and polypropylene (PP), respectively.

According to MRC's ScanPlast report, Russia's estimated PE consumption totalled 576,270 tonnes in the first three month of 2021, up by 4% year on year. Low density polyethylene (LDPE) and high density polyethylene (HDPE) shipments increased. At the same time, PP shipments to the Russian market totalled 410,890 tonnes in January-March 2021, up by 56% year on year. Supply of homopolymer PP and PP block copolymers increased.

Solvay is a science company whose technologies bring benefits to many aspects of daily life. With more than 24,100 employees in 64 countries, Solvay bonds people, ideas and elements to reinvent progress. The Group seeks to create sustainable shared value for all, notably through its Solvay One Planet plan crafted around three pillars: protecting the climate, preserving resources and fostering better life. The Group’s innovative solutions contribute to safer, cleaner, and more sustainable products found in homes, food and consumer goods, planes, cars, batteries, smart devices, health care applications, water and air purification systems. Founded in 1863, Solvay today ranks among the world’s top three companies for the vast majority of its activities and delivered net sales of EUR10.2 billion in 2019. Solvay is listed on Euronext Brussels (SOLB) and Paris and in the United States, where its shares (SOLVY) are traded through a Level I ADR program.
MRC

MOSCOW (MRC) -- Nouryon has begun the engineering phase at its Expancel expandable microspheres plant in Wisconsin, US, moving one step closer to better serving its specialty additives customers in North America, said the company.

Construction on the plant is expected to begin at the end of the year. The expansion project, announced in 2019, strengthens Nouryon’s position in expandable microspheres. The Green Bay, Wisconsin, location was selected to complement the company’s existing production sites in Sweden, Brazil and China in order to support the growth of the industry. Expandable microspheres are used to make customers’ end products lighter and reduce cost and environmental impact by requiring less raw material.

"Nouryon is seeing a significant increase in demand for expandable microspheres, particularly in the packaging, construction and transportation industries in North America, which is being driven by global sustainability trends,” said Sylvia Winkel Pettersson, Vice President, Engineered Polymers at Nouryon. “This next phase in the development of our manufacturing facility is an important step to enable Nouryon to meet that fast-growing demand."

The material is used in products including concrete, packaging materials and elastomeric cool roof coatings in the construction industry, as well as for the prevention of cracks and water absorption in construction sealants to prolong the life of weather-exposed building materials. The solutions also help electric vehicles meet regulations for improved fuel efficiency. As less raw material is required it reduces the cost of production and is more environmentally friendly.

As per MRC, Nobian (formerly Nouryon), the world's largest manufacturer of paints and varnishes and specialty chemicals, announced force majeure on January 20 for the supply of caustic soda from its plant in Rotterdam (Rotterdam, The Netherlands) due to equipment breakdown. The resumption of Nobian's chlorine and caustic soda production in Rotterdam was delayed due to unforeseen production problems, resulting in a caustic soda force majeure announcement on April 28 amid critically low stocks.

Earlier it was reported that the March production of sodium hydroxide (caustic soda) amounted to 118 thousand tons (100% of the main substance) against 98.4 thousand tons a month earlier. In the first three months of the year, the total production of caustic soda amounted to 329.4 thousand tons, which is 0.7% less than the same indicator of the previous year.

Nouryon was officially formed in October 2018 after separating from AkzoNobel. The company manufactures everyday products, such as paper, plastics, building materials, food, pharmaceuticals, and personal care items. The company operates in over 80 countries around the world and its portfolio of industry-leading brands includes Eka, Dissolvine, Trigonox and Berol.
MRC

MOSCOW (MRC) -- PPG has announced the completion of a USD13 million investment (approximately RMB 84 million) in its Jiading, China paint and coatings facility, including eight new powder coating production lines and an expanded Powder Coatings Technology Center that will further enhance PPG’s research and development capabilities, according to Wallstret:online.

The new production lines will produce premium quality general industrial powder coatings, wheel hub coatings, heavy-duty machinery coatings and other high-performance coatings.

The expansion will increase the plant’s capacity by more than 8,000 metric tons per year.

“We are developing coatings that not only meet but exceed the sustainability goals of both PPG and our customers,” said Vincent Robin, PPG president, Asia Pacific and vice president, automotive coatings, Asia Pacific. “In addition to increasing our powder coatings capacity through this recent investment, we are also enhancing our powder coatings R&D in China in an effort to meet the growing demand for innovative and sustainable products.”

The Powder Coatings Technology Center spans more than 2,000 square meters (21,500 square feet) and features a laboratory with state-of-the-art equipment that will support the development and testing of various coatings formulas and provide technical support for customers across the Asia Pacific region. The facility’s scientists and researchers develop a broad range of coatings for various applications, including automotive, building materials, construction machinery, industrial applications, 5G and consumer electronics.

As MRC informed earlier, in February 2020, PPG completed its acquisition of Industria Chimica Reggiana (ICR, Reggio Emilia, Italy), a maker of automotive refinish products. Financial terms of the deal, including purchase price, were not disclosed. The deal was announced on 8 January. ICR was founded in 1961 and employs about 180 people. ICR manufactures automotive refinish products, including putties, primers, basecoats and clear coats. It also makes a range of coatings, enamels and primers for light commercial vehicles and other light industrial coatings applications. ICR employs about 180 people and sells its products in more than 70 countries in Europe, Africa, the Middle East, the US and Latin America.

We remind that Russia's output of chemical products rose in February 2021 by 5.3% year on year. Thus, production of basic chemicals increased year on year by 7.5% in the first two months of 2021, according to Rosstat's data. Last month's production of polymers in primary form in Russia was 861,000 tonnes versus 196,000 tonnes in January. Overall output of polymers in primary form totalled 1,770,000 tonnes over the stated period, up by 8.4% year on year.

Tikkurila was established in 1862, and is headquartered in Vantaa, Finland. Tikkurila operates in eleven countries and its 2,700 dedicated professionals share the joy of building a vivid future through surfaces that make a difference. The company is a leading producer and distributor of decorative paint and coatings with more than 80% of its revenue coming from Finland, Sweden, Russia, Poland, and the Baltic states. Its premium brands include Tikkurila, ALCRO, and Beckers. In addition, Tikkurila’s industrial paint business participates in the wood and protective coatings end-use segments, among others. The company employs approximately 2,700 people globally and reported sales of approximately EUR 582 million in 2020.
MRC