US refining capacity drops 4.5% on weak demand during COVID-19 pandemic

MOSCOW (MRC) -- US refining capacity last year fell 4.5% to 18.13 million barrels per day (bpd) from a record 18.98 million bpd a year earlier, the US government reported, reflecting weak demand for motor fuels during the COVID-19 pandemic, according to Reuters.

It was the first annual decline since 2018, when capacity fell by 18,530 bpd and the largest since 2012, according to Energy Information Administration (EIA) data. That year capacity shrank 414,192 bpd following the Great Recession.

US refiners last year suffered deep financial losses and closed five facilities as the pandemic slashed fuel sales. Average U.S. gasoline consumption fell 13% last year with gasoline and diesel prices hitting a four-year low, according to government figures.

Five refineries, with a combined capacity of 801,146 bpd, permanently shut following the 1.3 million-bpd drop in gasoline consumption as businesses closed and consumers stayed home. The closings drove capacity down to a level comparable to 2016's 18.3 million bpd.

The nation’s largest crude oil refiner Marathon Petroleum shut three refineries while energy major Shell and independent refiner HollyFrontier each shut one in 2020.

Marathon converted one refinery to a renewable diesel plant and is converting another to produce renewable diesel. HollyFrontier also plans to convert its idled refinery into a renewable diesel producer. The fire-ravaged Philadelphia Energy Systems refinery was sold last year to a developer who plans to demolish it.

As MRC informed before, this year, the 200,000-bpd Limetree Bay refinery in St. Croix, US Virgin Islands, shut in May under orders from the US Environmental Protection Agency. On Monday, owner Limetree Bay Energy said the plant would not restart. The EIA does not count the Limetree Bay refinery as part of total US refining capacity.

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 744,130 tonnes in the first four month of 2021, up by 4% year on year. Shipments of all PE grades increased. At the same time, PP deliveries to the Russian market were 523,900 tonnes in January-April 2021, up by 55% year on year. Supply of homopolymer PP and PP block copolymers increased, whereas shipments of PP random copolymers decreased.
MRC

MOSCOW (MRC) -- Versalis, Eni's chemical company, and Saipem, an engineering and technological platform for sustainability, have signed an agreement to internationally promote PROESA, Versalis’ proprietary technology used to produce sustainable bioethanol and chemicals from lignocellulosic biomass, said the company.

Versalis and Saipem will provide integrated and technologically advanced solutions for the sustainable production of bioethanol. The PROESA process does not use crops intended for human consumption as a raw material, but rather produces second generation bioethanol (referred to as advanced biofuel by EU) through a process of hydrolysis and subsequent fermentation of agricultural biomasses available in abundance, such as agricultural waste, wood chips and energy crops.

Versalis will manage the commercial aspects relating to the granting of licence rights of the PROESA technology and will provide engineering, assistance, and training services. Saipem will be responsible for all the stages of production plants development, from design to construction. Furthermore, the two companies will collaborate with a dedicated joint team to further developments in the industrial process. The Versalis plant in Crescentino (Vercelli), where the PROESA technology was developed, will be the reference plant for international marketing by the two companies.

Versalis, in line with Eni's broader decarbonisation strategy, has launched a transformation plan that aims for its activities and products to be increasingly diversified and sustainable, providing a technological contribution to the circular economy. The agreement represents a unity of purpose with Saipem, a partner recognised worldwide in the field of design and in the construction of complex, reliable and optimised industrial plants.

Saipem, which has launched a strategy focused on energy transition, is expanding its offer of "green" chemical technologies with this agreement, meeting the growing national and international demand for sustainable and low environmental impact processes.

Adriano Alfani, CEO of Versalis commented: "The agreement signed with Saipem will play a fundamental role in the international positioning of Versalis' proprietary technology, developed entirely in Italy, in the field of chemicals obtained from renewable sources. The objective is for this innovative technology, which is an integral part of our sustainable transformation plan within Eni's broader decarbonisation strategy, to contribute to the development of renewable products in a globally growing chemical sector".

Francesco Caio, Saipem CEO, commented: "The global demand for bioethanol is expected to grow in the coming years and with Versalis we intend to meet it by leveraging a technology that is among the most promising. This agreement represents an opportunity for both companies in terms of growth and competitive advantage and is a further example of our strategy focused on the development of "green" technologies for the energy transition".

It was written earlier, Saipem has been awarded an E&C onshore engineering, procurement and construction contract for the expansion of the Versalis plant in Ferrara, Italy, worth approximately EUR200 million. The project encompasses the construction of a fourth production line to operate alongside the three existing lines, in addition to increasing their production capacity and upgrading the plant's auxiliary systems. The project will enable the Ferrara site’s production capacity of EPDM (Ethylene Propylene Diene Monomer) rubber to be significantly increased up to 130 thousand tons per 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 744,130 tonnes in the first four month of 2021, up by 4% year on year. Shipments of all PE grades increased. At the same time, PP deliveries to the Russian market were 523,900 tonnes in January-April 2021, up by 55% year on year. Supply of homopolymer PP and PP block copolymers increased, whereas shipments of PP random copolymers decreased.
MRC

MOSCOW (MRC) -- Solvay is partnering with Italian UAM company Novotech and will provide access to its range of
thermoset, thermoplastic composites and adhesive materials as well as dedicated technical support to develop the structure of their hybrid Seagull water landing aircraft second prototype due to fly late 2021, said the company.

Novotech selected Solvay’s aerospace qualified and NCAMP registered MTM® 45-1 and CYCOM 5320-1 resin systems. These two products have an aerospace pedigree system with a large publicly available dataset, process flexibility and product forms required to enable rapid adoption and time to market.

“Solvay is proud to support Novotech with our qualified aerospace technologies as they make inroads in the urban air mobility field, developing novel aircraft that will contribute to a sustainable future for mobility” said Gerald Perrin, program director for Solvay's composite materials unit.

“The Seagull is the first two seater aircraft featuring carbon fiber composite components manufactured via Automated Fiber Placement (AFP) rather than via manual processes. The introduction of such advanced automated production processes represents a first step towards the development of scalable products for a viable UAM environment” said Leonardo Lecce, CEO of Novotech.

The composite intensive Seagull is a hybrid aircraft, boasting an automatic folding wing system, capable of both landing and taking off from lakes and sea thanks to its trimaran hull configuration, thus enabling a low cost air-maritime mobility system.

Novotech is already working on its next program: a fully electric eVTOL (electric vertical take off and landing) aircraft and Solvay will be a key partner in the selection of enabling composite and adhesive materials. This next aircraft will be able to carry four passengers, have a cruise speed of 150 to 180 km/hr and a range of 200 to 400 km.

Solvay is to supply Italian aircraft maker Novotech with thermoset, thermoplastic composites, and adhesive materials. The deal would also include the creation of a technical support team assisting Novotech’s manufacturing of its hybrid landing aircraft series, named Seagull. Financial details were not provided.

"The Seagull is the first two-seater aircraft featuring carbon fibre composite components manufactured via Automated Fiber Placement (AFP) rather than via manual processes," said Leonardo Lecce, CEO of Novotech. Seagull’s manufacturing includes many composite materials, which allows for an automatic folding wing system capable of landing and taking off from lakes and sea, according to Solvay.

Solvay is to supply Novotech with its resin systems branded MTM 45-1 and CYCOM 5320-1; both products have been certified by the US’ National Center for Advanced Materials Performance (NCAMP). The Belgium chemicals manufacturer added that the deal with Novotech would allow it to gain market share in the urban air mobility (UAM) sector. It added that it would also be supplying composite and adhesive materials for Novotech’s project to develop a fully electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft.

As MRC informed earlier, in August, 2020, through the acquisition of the Solvay polyamide (PA) business, BASF enhanced its R&D capabilities in Asia Pacific with new technologies, technical expertise, and upgraded material and part testing services. BASF is planning to integrate the R&D centers from Solvay into its R&D existing facilities in Shanghai, China, and Seoul, Korea. The enhanced capabilities will boost BASF’s position as a solution provider to develop advanced material solutions for key industries.

We remind that BASF-YPC, a 50-50 joint venture of BASF and Sinopec, undertook a planned shutdown at its naphtha cracker on 30 April 2020. The company initially planned to start turnaround at the cracker on April 5, 2020. The plant remained under maintenance unitl 18 June, 2020. Located in Jiangsu, China, the cracker has an ethylene capacity of 750,000 mt/year and propylene capacity of 400,000 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 744,130 tonnes in the first four month of 2021, up by 4% year on year. Shipments of all PE grades increased. At the same time, PP deliveries to the Russian market were 523,900 tonnes in January-April 2021, up by 55% year on year. Supply of homopolymer PP and PP block copolymers increased, whereas shipments of PP random copolymers decreased.

Solvay is a science company whose technologies bring benefits to many aspects of daily life. With more than 23,000 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.
MRC

MOSCOW (MRC) -- Brenntag, the global market leader in chemicals and ingredients distribution, has committed to switching its electricity consumption completely to green electricity by 2025, as per the company's press release.

This self-imposed commitment marks another important step in the company's sustainability strategy. To this end, Brenntag has joined the global RE100 initiative.

Christian Kohlpaintner, Chief Executive Officer Brenntag SE: “With our voluntary commitment to 100% green power by 2025, we have added another element to our ambitious sustainability targets for 2021 that we published in line with our latest sustainability report. Moving towards an operation entirely with renewable electricity is an important measure for our business to position us even more future-proof and responsible in terms of reducing CO2 emissions.”

The RE100 initiative aims to unite the largest and most successful companies on the planet in their mission to move to 100% renewable electricity. This goal shall be achieved in its entirety by 2040. In the process, the initiative addresses, among other things, political and regulatory barriers, and stands up for a transparent system to create a level playing field for partners from the most diverse businesses and all regions of the world.

In its recently published sustainability report, Brenntag stated that 15% of its electricity consumption in 2020 could already be sourced from renewable sources - a result that has had a proven positive impact on the Group's decline in CO2 emissions.

As MRC informed earlier, in April 2020, Brenntag said it had acquired the operating assets of Suffolk Solutions’ (Suffolk, Virginia) caustic soda distribution business. Financial terms of the deal have not been disclosed.

We remind that March production of sodium hydroxide (caustic soda) in Russia was 118,000 tonnes (100% of the main substance) versus 98,400 tonnes a month earlier. The country's overall output of caustic soda totalled 329,400 tonnes in the first three months of 2021, down by 0.7% year on year.
MRC

MOSCOW (MRC) -- Azelis is delighted to announce the extension of its distribution scope with CP Kelco in India, Indonesia, Malaysia and Thailand. CP Kelco’s product range is a significant addition to Azelis’ portfolio and the new agreement marks an important milestone in the strong and continuously developing collaboration between both companies globally, said the company.

Azelis will distribute the complete range of CP Kelco’s products, which includes specialty carrageenan, xanthan gum, pectin, gellan gum, fermentation-derived cellulose and, the newest addition, citrus fiber. As per July 11th, in India, Azelis will cover the market of Food; in Malaysia, Food and C&I (Consumers & Industrials); and in Indonesia, in addition to the existing Food partnership, Azelis will also cover C&I. As per August 1st, Azelis will cover the markets of C&I in Thailand.

CP Kelco and Azelis’ collaboration in Asia Pacific started in 2012 with China and expanded in 2018 to Indonesia. With more than 140 years of ingredient expertise, CP Kelco offers advanced thickening, texturizing, suspending and stabilizing solutions through its innovative portfolio of nature-based hydrocolloids and citrus fiber.

“Through our many alliances, Azelis has proven it’s a win to combine forces. Azelis’ significant market coverage and outstanding technical knowledge, paired with our long-lasting relationship, enable a truly robust alliance. We are confident that through this collaboration, CP Kelco will develop new opportunities, increase its customer intimacy and strengthen its market penetration."

Laurent Nataf, CEO & President Asia Pacific at Azelis, adds: "We are thrilled about this expansion of our collaboration, a great recognition of the trust and confidence our valued principal CP Kelco puts into us. Their product range is a significant addition to our portfolio in India, Malaysia, Indonesia and Thailand, giving us access to advanced solutions from a renowned, leading manufacturer. We will leverage our strong relationship with CP Kelco and our ingredient expertise built throughout the years at Azelis, particularly in China and Indonesia, to ensure fast adoption from the technical sales and application lab teams. Our goal is to be able to deliver from the start the very best service to existing and new customers while reducing complexity for CP Kelco."

Azelis has grown exponentially in Asia Pacific and expanded its presence from three countries in 2012 to 12 today: Australia, China, India, Indonesia, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, New Zealand, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam. Azelis strives to bring the best products and ideas together to formulate innovative solutions with our partners while leveraging our network of more than 20 dedicated application laboratories in the region.

As per MRC, Azelis, an innovation service provider in the specialty chemicals and food ingredients distribution industry, launched e-Lab for Personal Care and Food & Health customers in the United Kingdom and for Food & Health customers in Indonesia. The launch of this platform is aligned with the company’s ambition to be the world-leading provider of digital services and insights in the industry, leading the way in customer engagement and making its e-Lab the engine for innovation through formulation whereby customers are able to order samples and place an order anytime and on any digital device.

According to MRC's ScanPlast report, Russia's estimated PE consumption totalled 744,130 tonnes in the first four month of 2021, up by 4% year on year. Shipments of all PE grades increased. At the same time, PP deliveries to the Russian market were 523,900 tonnes in January-April 2021, up by 55% year on year. Supply of homopolymer PP and PP block copolymers increased, whereas shipments of PP random copolymers decreased.

Azelis is a leading distributor of speciality chemicals and food ingredients present in over 50 countries across the globe with around 2,200 employees. Our knowledgeable teams of industry, market and technical experts are each dedicated to a specific market within Life Sciences and Industrial Chemicals.
MRC