TotalEnergies says Feyzin refinery hit by fire

TotalEnergies says Feyzin refinery hit by fire

MOSCOW (MRC) -- French oil major TotalEnergies' Feyzin refinery was hit by a fire overnight, but the fire has been rapidly brought under control and nobody has been hurt, said Reuters.

It added that certain units at the site near Lyon will have to adapt their activity but that the company will continue to ensure supply to its network of gas stations and to its customers.

A CGT union official had said earlier that refining activities at the site would be halted in the next 24 to 48 hours at following a major fire overnight.

Total has had a string of issues at its French refineries in recent years. The 240,000 b/d Gonfreville refinery near Le Havre only resumed crude runs in June following a fire at the end of 2019. Cracks in a pipeline that supplied crude to the 93,000 b/d Grandpuits refinery were discovered last year, forcing the plant to shut ahead of schedule. Grandpuits was already earmarked for conversion into a biorefinery. A previous pipeline leak shut the refinery in June 2014.

Leaks in the pipeline supplying Feyzin forced a three-week shutdown in the summer of 2019. And a crack was also found earlier this year in a pipeline that supplies crude to TotalEnergies' 222,000 b/d Donges refinery. Donges was shut on economic grounds at the time and is due to remain closed until next 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 1,396,960 tonnes in January-July 2021, up by 7% year on year. Shipments of all grades of ethylene polymers increased. At the same time, PP shipments to the Russian market were 841,990 tonnes in the first seven months of 2021, up by 29% year on year. Supply of propylene homopolymers (homopolymer PP) and block-copolymers of propylene (PP block copolymers) increased, whereas supply of statistical copolymers of propylene (PP random copolymers) subsided.

Total S.A. is a French multinational oil and gas company and one of the six "Supermajor" oil companies in the world with business in Europe, the United States, the Middle East and Asia. The company's petrochemical products cover two main groups: base chemicals and the consumer polymers (polyethylene, polypropylene and polystyrene) that are derived from them.
MRC

Arkema names North America chief

Arkema names North America chief

MOSCOW (MRC) -- Arkema has promoted Anthony O’Donovan, regional group president for its Americas fluorochemicals operations, to CEO of Arkema Inc, where he will cover the France-based producer’s operations in the US, Mexico and Canada, said the company.

O’Donovan joined Arkema in 2013 as global supply chain director for fluorochemicals. He most recently served as Americas fluorochemicals president.

O'Donovan will replace Richard Rowe who is due to retire. He will take up the reins on 1 November after a transition period.

Arkema’s North America subsidiaries employ around 4,000 people across 40 sites, and generated 33% of group revenue in 2020, the company added.

As per MRC, Arkema announces the proposed divestment of its epoxides business to Cargill, a leader in agricultural products and services. With this project, Arkema is pursuing the repositioning of its portfolio on its core businesses. Arkema produces bio-based and specialty epoxides in Blooming Prairie (MN, USA), used as additives or intermediates in the manufacture of lubricants, plastic additives and a wide variety of other applications. Part of Arkema’s Hydrogen Peroxide activity, this business has limited integration with the rest of the Group’s portfolio, generates sales of around US USD40 million and employs approximately 45 people.

As per MRC, Arkema is further increasing its fluoropolymer production capacities in Changshu, China, by 35% in 2022. The increase in capacity is scheduled to come on stream before the end of 2022, the company said in a statement. Financial and overall capacity details of the expansion project were not disclosed.

Arkema is one of the world's leading chemical manufacturers headquartered in Colombes (near Paris, France). Founded in 2004 as a result of the restructuring of the French oil company Total, Arkema, with a turnover of EUR6.5 billion, has operations in 40 countries, 10 research centers around the world, and 85 plants in Europe, North America and Asia.
MRC

MCC to invest in polyester film production

MCC to invest in polyester film production

MOSCOW (MRC) -- Mitsubishi Chemical Corporation announced the expansion of polyester film production capacity at its affiliate, Mitsubishi Polyester Film in Wiesbaden, Germany, said Process-worldwide.

The group will invest approximately 110?million euros in a new production line, which is scheduled to be completed at the end of 2024. This is the third investment by MCC in the global polyester film business since 2018. It follows the opening of a new production line in South Carolina USA in 2018 and an investment in a new production line in Jakarta, Indonesia, with planned start up in 2022.

In recent years, the global market growth rate for polyester film has been about five percent, and MFE has responded to growing customer demand by procuring polyester film from other MCC Group companies while efficiently operating existing facilities.

As demand is expected to grow steadily in the future, the company plans to install this new production line at MFE with a capacity of 27,000/tonnes per year, establishing it as one of the world's largest production facilities for high performance polyester films.

The new production line, which will be equipped with energy-saving equipment, aims to reduce CO2 emissions for the entire plant, while expanding production capacity. In addition, by introducing equipment that can recycle polyester film collected from customers and consumers as raw materials, the new production line will help to accelerate MCC’s efforts to realize a circular economy.

As per MRC, earlier it was reported that Mitsubishi Chemical, a subsidiary of Mitsubishi Chemical Holdings Corporation, plans to close polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) production in Tokuyama (Toyama, Japan) in October for scheduled repairs. This production with a capacity of 27,500 tonnes per year will be closed for maintenance for about 40 days. Last year, the company also stopped this plant for maintenance in October-November.

According to MRC's ScanPlast report, Russia's estimated PET consumption totalled 411,200 tonnes in the first six month of 2021, up by 12% year on year. Russian companies processed 62,910 tonnes in June, compared to 85,890 tonnes a month earlier.

The group manufactures polyester film at manufacturing sites in Japan, China, Indonesia, the United States and Germany for use in optical applications for displays, industrial applications such as electronic components, automotive, and medical care, and packaging material applications.
MRC

JSC "NIPIGAZ" left SIBUR

JSC

MOSCOW (MRC) - There have been changes in the structure of the SIBUR Group and the structure of the share capital of JSC NIPIGAZ, the company said in a statement.

The General Meeting of Shareholders of PJSC SIBUR Holding has resolved to pay dividends in the form of shares in JSC NIPIGAS held by PJSC SIBUR Holding. The authorised capital of JSC NIPIGAS has remained unchanged. Following the dividend accrual, none of the beneficial owners of JSC NIPIGAS will hold, directly or indirectly, a stake of over 25 percent in the company's authorised capital.

JSC NIPIGAS ceases to be a subsidiary or an affiliate company within the SIBUR Group, and its financial results will no longer be presented in the financial statements of PJSC SIBUR Holding. Going forward, JSC NIPIGAS will be preparing its consolidated IFRS statements on its own.

As per MRC, SIBUR International and TAIF Group have finalised a deal to merge and create the largest petrochemical company in the country and one of the biggest in the world.

Earlier it was reported that the European Commission approved the deal on 1 October.

TAIF JSC is the parent company of the largest non-public group in the Russian Federation. The group's netted revenue over the past 12 months amounted to more than RUB 720 billion. TAIF plans to enter the production of commercial products in the amount of more than 1.7 trillion rubles by 2035. per year, for this planned investment of 1.8 trillion rubles. for the next 15 years.

SIBUR manufactures and sells petrochemical products on the Russian and international markets in two business segments: olefins and polyolefins (polypropylene, polyethylene, BOPP, etc.), as well as plastics, elastomers and intermediate products (synthetic rubbers, expanded polystyrene, PET, etc.) .
MRC

COVID-19 - News digest as of 05.10.2021

1. Repsol produces renewable hydrogen from biomethane in Spain

MOSCOW (MRC) -- Repsol has produced its first renewable hydrogen derived from biomethane at its Cartagena, Spain, refinery complex, said the company. In a major milestone for the clean fuel economy, Repsol has produced renewable hydrogen using biomethane as a raw material in Cartagena, Spain – and the company says it is a world first. Announcing its achievement today (Oct 4), Repsol said the produced ten tonnes of hydrogen, made from 500MWh of biomethane, has been used to manufacturer low-carbon fuels. Part of Repsol’s effort to utilise state-of-the-art technologies to transform waste into products with high value, the effort is believed to have prevented approximately 90 tonnes of CO2 into the atmosphere.

MRC