Sinopec posts USD6 bln H1 profit on rebounding oil prices, better demand

MOSCOW (MRC) -- China Petroleum & Chemical Corp reported a 39.15 billion yuan (USD6.05 bn) net profit for the first six months of 2021 on the back of renewed fuel demand and a rebound in oil prices amid a recovery from the impact of COVID-19, said Reuters.

Asia's biggest oil refiner, known as Sinopec, posted a 23 billion yuan loss during January-June last year as the coronavirus pandemic walloped fuel demand and knocked oil prices. The 2021 interim profit compares with a 31.338 billion yuan profit in the same period in 2019.

Revenue in the first six months rose 22.1% from last year's low base to 1.26 trillion yuan, following a recovery in global oil prices and robust demand for fuel and petrochemical products.

During the period, Sinopec processed a total of 126.11 million tonnes crude oil, up 13.7% on a year earlier, with gasoline output increasing by 20.8% as more people drove as China recovered from the COVID-19 shock.

As per MRC, Sinopec, the world's petrochemical major, has launched the first phase of the Gulei refining complex in Zhangzhou city in China’s southeastern Fujian province. The refining complex, a 50:50 joint venture between Sinopec’s Fujian Petrochemical Company Ltd and Taiwan Xuteng Investment Company Ltd, invested 27.8 billion yuan (USD4.28 billion) in the first phase.

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 1,176,860 tonnes in the first half of 2021, up by 5% year on year. Shipments of exclusively low density polyethylene (LDPE) decreased. At the same time, PP shipments to the Russian market were 727,160 tonnes in the first six months of 2021, up by 31% year on year. Supply of homopolymer PP and block-copolymers of propylene (PP block copolymers) increased. Supply of statistical copolymers of propylene (PP random copolymers) subsided.

China Petrochemical Corporation (Sinopec Group) is a super-large petroleum and petrochemical enterprise group established in July 1998 on the basis of the former China Petrochemical Corporation. Sinopec Group's key business activities include the exploration and production of oil and natural gas, petrochemicals and other chemical products, oil refining.
MRC

MOSCOW (MRC) -- Chevron U.S.A. Inc., a subsidiary of Chevron Corporation, and Bunge North America, Inc., a subsidiary of Bunge Limited (NYSE: BG), announced today a memorandum of understanding (MOU) of a proposed 50/50 joint venture to help meet the demand for renewable fuels and to develop lower carbon intensity feedstocks, said the company.

Upon finalization of the joint venture, Chevron and Bunge’s partnership would establish a reliable supply chain from farmer to fueling station for both companies. Bunge is expected to contribute its soybean processing facilities in Destrehan, Louisiana, and Cairo, Illinois, and Chevron is expected to contribute approximately $600 million in cash to the joint venture. Through the joint venture, the two companies anticipate approximately doubling the combined capacity of the facilities from 7,000 tons per day by the end of 2024. The joint venture would also pursue new growth opportunities in lower carbon intensity feedstocks, as well as consider feedstock pretreatment investments.

“As the world’s largest oilseed processor, we are pleased to expand our partnership with an energy industry leader to increase our participation in the development of next generation, renewable fuels. Together, we share a commitment to sustainability and reducing carbon in the energy value chain. This relationship with Chevron would enable Bunge to better serve our farmer customers by accessing demand in the growing renewable fuels sector,” said Greg Heckman, Bunge CEO.

Under the proposed joint venture arrangement, Bunge will continue to operate the facilities, leveraging its expertise in oilseed processing and farmer relationships to manage origination and marketing of meal and plant-based oil. Chevron would have offtake rights to the oil to use as renewable feedstock to manufacture diesel and jet fuel with lower lifecycle carbon intensity, in addition to providing market knowledge and downstream retail and commercial distribution channels.

“Through our commercial work with Bunge, we have come to appreciate their strong company culture, their strategic desire to advance the production of lower carbon fuels, their commitment to capital discipline and promotion of sustainable agriculture in their supply chains,” said Mark Nelson, executive vice president of Downstream & Chemicals for Chevron. “Chevron’s proposed joint venture with Bunge positions us to expand into the renewable fuel feedstock value chain, which will advance our higher returns, lower carbon strategy."

The creation of the proposed joint venture is subject to the negotiation of definitive agreements with customary closing conditions, including regulatory approval.

As per MRC, Chevron and other partners said they are investing in a startup to build modular waste-to-green hydrogen and renewable synthetic fuel facilities in northern California with tentative plans to eventually grow worldwide. The USD20 million investment in Wyoming-based Raven SR is focused on technology to develop combustion-free, green hydrogen for transportation that is cleaner than so-called blue hydrogen derived from natural gas.

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 1,176,860 tonnes in the first half of 2021, up by 5% year on year. Shipments of exclusively low density polyethylene (LDPE) decreased. At the same time, PP shipments to the Russian market were 727,160 tonnes in the first six months of 2021, up by 31% year on year. Supply of homopolymer PP and block-copolymers of propylene (PP block copolymers) increased. Supply of statistical copolymers of propylene (PP random copolymers) subsided.
MRC

MOSCOW (MRC) -- Trinseo, a global materials company and manufacturer of plastics and latex binders, has announced the completion of the previously disclosed transaction to acquire Aristech Surfaces LLC, a leading North America manufacturer and global provider of polymethyl methacrylates (PMMA) continuous cast, solid surface and architectural resin sheets serving the wellness, architectural, transportation and industrial markets, as per the company's press release.

This acquisition is another important step in Trinseo’s transformation efforts, focused on becoming a global specialty materials and sustainable solutions provider. The addition of Aristech strengthens Trinseo's position in acrylic solutions and broadens the company’s product portfolio offerings in important markets such as building and construction as well as consumer goods. Additionally, Aristech is expected to accelerate Trinseo’s growth in Asia. The increased exposure to new markets, and improved ability to generate cash and stable margins, is expected to ultimately lead to greater growth opportunities.

The acquisition includes the addition of approximately 300 employees across two manufacturing and R&D locations in Florence, Kentucky and Belen, New Mexico.

Aristech will continue to operate as a stand-alone entity within the Engineered Materials segment, while Trinseo continues the integration of the PMMA business it purchased earlier this year.

As MRC reported earlier, in May, 2021, Trinseo announced the closing of the previously announced transaction to acquire Arkema’s polymethyl methacrylates (PMMA) business. PMMA is a transparent and rigid resin with a wide range of end uses that augments Trinseo’s existing offerings across several end markets including automotive, building and construction, medical and consumer electronics.

The main application, consuming approximately 75% MMA, is in the production of polymethyl methacrylate acrylic plastics (PMMA). Methyl methacrylate is also used to produce methyl methacrylate-butadiene-styrene copolymer (MBS), used as a modifier for polyvinyl chloride (PVC).

According to MRC's ScanPlast report, Russia's overall production of unmixed PVC totalled 515,900 tonnes in the first half of 2021, up by 1% year on year. At the same time, two producers reduced their output.

Trinseo is a global materials company and manufacturer of plastics, latex and rubber. Trinseo's technology is used by customers in industries such as home appliances, automotive, building & construction, carpet, consumer electronics, consumer goods, electrical & lighting, medical, packaging, paper & paperboard, rubber goods and tires. Formerly known as Styron, Trinseo completed its renaming process in 1Q 2015. Trinseo had approximately USD3.0 billion in net sales in 2020, with 17 manufacturing sites around the world, and approximately 2,600 employees.
MRC

MOSCOW (MRC) -- ExxonMobil rejected three proposals in August made by the union representing 650 locked-out workers at the company’s Beaumont, Texas, refinery, reported Reuters with reference to the company's statement.

“Over 120 days have passed since the initiation of the lockout, and the union has not presented an offer that came close to meeting the company’s objectives,” Exxon said in a message posted its website.

A spokesperson for the United Steelworkers union (USW) local 13-243, which represents the locked-out workers, was not immediately available for comment.

Exxon locked out the hourly employees at the 369,024 barrel-per-day refinery and adjoining lubricant oil plant on May 1 to avoid a strike as a 75-day labor peace period came to an end following the expiration of the contract.

The USW has said the company's last proposal, made in January, requires its members to give up long-standing seniority and would create a separate contract for workers in the lube oil plant from that for workers in the refinery.

As MRC informed earlier, in July, 2021, ExxonMobil began hiring additional temporary operators of its Beaumont, Texas refinery as a lockout of 650 union-represented workers runs into its 11th week. Exxon said then it took the decision to hire the new workers after four meetings with the United Steelworkers (USW) union local 13-243 failed to yield the results the company expected.

We remind that in mid-summer, 2021, ExxonMobil's Beaumont, Texas refinery was operating at about 60% of its 369,024-bpd capacity because of the lockout of union workers.

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 1,176,860 tonnes in the first half of 2021, up by 5% year on year. Shipments of exclusively low density polyethylene (LDPE) decreased. At the same time, PP shipments to the Russian market were 727,160 tonnes in the first six months of 2021, up by 31% year on year. Supply of homopolymer PP and block-copolymers of propylene (PP block copolymers) increased. Supply of statistical copolymers of propylene (PP random copolymers) subsided.

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

MOSCOW (MRC) -- South Korea's GS Caltex has shut its new mixed-feed cracker at Yeosu for maintenance on 27 August, 2021, reported S&P Global with reference to a company source.

This cracker is expected to resume operations on 7 September, 2021, after the turnaround is complete.

The new steam cracker, which was started around June 18, can produce 750,000 mt/year of ethylene and 410,000 mt/year of propylene.

As MRC informed before, this June, the company also started up its new high density polyethylene (HDPE) in Yeosu with an annual capacity of 500,000 tons/year that would concentrate on producing the film (TR-144, TRB-115), blow molding (5520BN or BM593), and injection (6060 or 6060UV) grades.

The company also operates 180,000 tons/year polypropylene (PP) plant at the same complex.

The project is a 50-50 joint venture between GS Energy Corp. and Chevron Corp., costing 2 trillion won (USD1.84 billion) that started construction work in 2019.

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 1,176,860 tonnes in the first half of 2021, up by 5% year on year. Shipments of exclusively low density polyethylene (LDPE) decreased. At the same time, PP shipments to the Russian market were 727,160 tonnes in the first six months of 2021, up by 31% year on year. Supply of homopolymer PP and block-copolymers of propylene (PP block copolymers) increased. Supply of statistical copolymers of propylene (PP random copolymers) subsided.
MRC