ExxonMobil extend agreement with FuelCell Energy for CC technology

ExxonMobil extend agreement with FuelCell Energy for CC technology

MOSCOW (MRC) -- FuelCell Energy, Inc., a global leader in fuel cell technology with a purpose of utilizing its proprietary, state-of-the-art fuel cell platforms to enable a world empowered by clean energy - has signed a six-month extension with ExxonMobil to continue collaboration on carbonate fuel cell technology for the purpose of capturing carbon dioxide from industrial facilities and power generation, according to Hydrocarbonprocessing.

The agreement will now continue until April 30, 2022. The parties are discussing an ExxonMobil pilot in Rotterdam, the Netherlands, as well as potentially additional ExxonMobil or third-party locations, to deploy FuelCell Energy’s carbonate fuel cell platform to capture carbon dioxide emissions. A decision on the Rotterdam project is expected in 2022, dependent on achieving technical milestones over the next six months.

In addition to pilot project deployments, FuelCell Energy and ExxonMobil are discussing the next phase of carbon capture development.

“ExxonMobil is working to develop breakthrough solutions in carbon capture, hydrogen and biofuels and identify commercially viable technologies the world will need to achieve the goals of the Paris Agreement,” said Vijay Swarup, vice president of research and development for ExxonMobil Research and Engineering Company. “We are pleased to continue working with FuelCell Energy to further advance this unique high efficiency carbon capture solution.”

As MRC reported before, ExxonMobil said earlier this month it is on track to meet its 2025 emissions reduction targets by the end of this year - four years earlier than planned - and has vowed to ramp up investments to further cut emissions.

We remind that ExxonMobil plans to build its first, large-scale plastic waste advanced recycling facility in Baytown, Texas, and is expected to start operations by year-end 2022. By recycling plastic waste back into raw materials that can be used to make plastic and other valuable products, the technology could help address the challenge of plastic waste in the environment. A smaller, temporary facility, is already operational and producing commercial volumes of certified circular polymers that will be marketed by the end of this year to meet growing demand.

According to MRC's ScanPlast report, Russia's estimated PE consumption totalled 1,868,160 tonnes in the first nine months of 2021, up by 18% year on year. Shipments of all grades of ethylene polymers increased. At the same time, PP shipments to the Russian market were 1,138,510 tonnes in January-September 2021, up by 30% year on year. Supply of propylene homopolymer (homopolymer PP) and block-copolymers of propylene (PP block copolymers) increased, whereas supply of injection moulding statistical copolymers of propylene (PP random copolymers) decreased significantly.
MRC

Global petrochemical market suffers from price volatility - SIBUR CEO D. Konov

Global petrochemical market suffers from price volatility - SIBUR CEO D. Konov

MOSCOW (MRC) - Record gas prices have a significant impact on the petrochemical market, said RBK with reference to the words of SIBUR head D. Konov.

Dmitry Konov, Chairman of the Board of SIBUR Holding, said that the "main evil" for the petrochemical market this year is not the rise in prices, but the speed and frequency of their change. "The main evil - and this is true for both us and the consumer - is not some absolute level of prices, but the speed and frequency of their changes. When prices rise and fall by 30% month by month, this is bad," Konov said.

He noted that this year there were many such phenomena that led to record gas prices. This includes interruptions in American production, an accident at the Urengoy plant for preparing condensate for transport, and force majeure events in Europe. Konov stressed that as a result of this, "the long-standing established system is failing," which manifests itself in the hypervolatility of product prices and leads to anomalous delivery costs from one geography to another.

The head of SIBUR added that the price of "incoming raw materials" (liquefied carbon gas, etc.), which the company purchases, will increase by tens of percent, which will lead to an increase in production costs. He noted that in 2021 the cost of petrochemical products is higher than in 2020, but lower in comparison with the end of 2018. However, the price of raw materials is "much higher" than in 2019 and 2020, but is at the level of 2018.

“I think that the beneficiaries in terms of sales and prices have become any industries that produce a physical product. But the cost of any physical product has also become higher, therefore, on the one hand, we are beneficiaries due to the rise in prices for our products. - We, like everyone else, have increased the cost. In this sense, we have suffered and continue to suffer ", - concluded D. Konov.

Earlier, the international rating agency Fitch calculated how much Russia can earn on expensive oil. According to analysts, state revenues may even exceed the level of the pre-pandemic 2019. Earlier it was reported that SIBUR closed the deal to acquire 100% of TAIF JSC, which includes Nizhnekamskneftekhim, Kazanorgsintez and TGK-16.

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

According to MRC's ScanPlast report, Russia's estimated PE consumption totalled 1,868,160 tonnes in the first nine months of 2021, up by 18% year on year. Shipments of all grades of ethylene polymers increased. At the same time, PP shipments to the Russian market were 1,138,510 tonnes in the first nine months of 2021, up by 30% year on year. Supply of propylene homopolymer (homopolymer PP) and block-copolymers of propylene (PP block copolymers) increased, whereas supply of injection moulding PP random copolymers decreased significantly.

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

Unipar plans to expand chlorine and caustic soda production in Brazil

Unipar plans to expand chlorine and caustic soda production in Brazil

MOSCOW (MRC) - Brazilian company Unipar Indupa plans to expand chlorine and caustic soda production at its Santo Andre plant (Santo Andre, Sao Paulo, Brazil), said the company.

The company plans to increase the production of chlorine by 29,000 tonnes, caustic soda by 32,000 tonnes per year. The project includes the construction of a hydrochloric acid furnace with a capacity of 91,000 tonnes per year. The construction and furnace will cost approximately USD 17.9 mln, with commissioning expected in the second half of 2023.

In general, Grupo Unipar will increase its production capacity in Brazil to 545,000 tonnes of chlorine per year, 615,000 tonnes of caustic soda per year and 755,000 tonnes of hydrochloric acid per year.

In a statement, Unipar said the expansion is in line with the company's strategy to strengthen its position in the chlorine, caustic soda and chemical derivatives markets.

Earlier it was reported that Unipar cut caustic soda production in Cubatan and Santo Andre (Cubatao, Santo Andre, Sao Paulo state, Brazil) to 50% amid the worsening economic situation in the country due to the coronavirus. In Cubatan, the company manages a production capacity of 398 thousand tons of caustic soda and 207,000 tonnes of chlorine per year, and in Santo Andre - 174 thousand tons of caustic soda per year. According to the source, this period will last until approximately May 8.

As MRC reported earlier, the June production of sodium hydroxide (caustic soda) amounted to 103,000 tonnes (100% of the main substance) against 105,000 tonnes a month earlier. For the first half of the year, the total production of caustic soda amounted to 642,500 tonnes, which is 1.2% less than the same indicator of the previous year.

Unipar Indupa, Braskem, Unipar Carbocloro, Vestolit and Pequiven are PVC producers in Latin America.
MRC

Libya approves sale of Hess Waha stakes to TotalEnergies and ConocoPhillips

Libya approves sale of Hess Waha stakes to TotalEnergies and ConocoPhillips

MOSCOW (MRC) -- Libya's Government of National Unity has approved the sale of US oil company Hess Corporation's stake in the giant Waha oil concessions to both TotalEnergies and ConocoPhillips, reported S&P Global wth reference to a statement of Patrick Pouyanne, CEO of TotalEnergies, Nov. 22.

Pouyanne confirmed the deal while speaking at the Libya Energy & Economic Summit 2021 in Tripoli on Nov. 22.
Hess Corporation's 8.16% stake in the key oil license will now be split evenly between France's TotalEnergies (4.08%) and ConocoPhillips (4.08%), sources close to the matter told S&P Global.

But the deal has also been attracting some opposition domestically, and with elections just over a month away pressure was mounting on Prime Minister Abdul Hamid Dbeibah to pass the deal.

Deputy Oil Minister Refaat al-Abbar, who chairs the ministry's technical committee for production affairs, had approved the sale over the past few days, sources said.

Representatives at Hess and ConocoPhillips were unavailable for comment.

In a letter dated Nov. 9 written by Prime Minister Dbeibah to Pouyanne, the PM said he welcomed and supported the proposed joint acquisition. But he asked the two companies to contribute USD45 million to a wholly owned government entity that will be designated in the course of the finalization of the transaction agreement.

As MRC informed before, with its name change from Total to TotalEnergies amid its transition from fossil fuels, the major oil company is investing more in renewables and energy storage while decreasing emissions from its natural gas business.

We remind that TotalEnergies has recently inaugurated the extension of Synova in Normandy, the French leader in recycled polypropylene production. TotalEnergies is therefore doubling its mechanical recycling production capacity for recycled polymers, to meet growing demand for sustainable polymers from customers, such as Automotive Manufacturer (Auto OEM) and the construction industry.

According to MRC's ScanPlast report, PP shipments to the Russian market were 1,138,510 tonnes in the first nine months of 2021, up by 30% year on year. Supply of propylene homopolymer (homopolymer PP) and block-copolymers of propylene (PP block copolymers) increased, whereas supply of injection moulding PP random copolymers decreased significantly.

TotalEnergies is a broad energy company that produces and markets energies on a global scale: oil and biofuels, natural gas and green gases, renewables, and electricity. The company rebranded itself from Total to TotalEnergies during Q2 2021. The French firm has announced allocating part of surplus revenues to share buybacks. Its 105,000 employees are committed to energy that is ever more affordable, clean, reliable and accessible to as many people as possible. Active in more than 130 countries, TotalEnergies puts sustainable development in all its dimensions at the heart of its projects and operations to contribute to the well-being of people.
MRC

KMG and LUKOIL sign principles agreement for Kalamkas-Sea and Khazar project

KMG and LUKOIL sign principles agreement for Kalamkas-Sea and Khazar project

MOSCOW (MRC) -- On 16 November 2021, Alik Aidarbayev, Chairman of the Management of JSC NC “KazMunayGas” (KMG), met with Vagit Alekperov, President of LUKOIL PJSC (LUKOIL), said the company.

The parties discussed the relevant issues of cooperation and implementation of their joint projects in Kazakhstan.

A Principles Agreement for the Kalamkas-Sea and Khazar Project was signed during the meeting. The document suggests further negotiations between KMG and LUKOIL to define the concept, details and terms of joint development of the fields.

“KMG and LUKOIL have cooperated effectively for many years. Today we discover new areas to extend the cooperation and sign the agreement for the Kalamkas-Sea and Khazar Project. I am confident that the project will give a new impetus to our mutually profitable partnership,” Mr. Aidarbayev noted.

“By signing the Principles Agreement, we lay a foundation for a dynamic interaction. We are glad we have new initiatives and projects that we can bring to life through the experience of our companies in the oil industry,” Mr. Alekperov emphasised.

It should be noted that the companies are involved in such projects as Karachaganak, Tengiz, Al-Farabi, Zhenis, in the Caspian Pipeline Consortium oil transportation project, as well as in joint ventures for the development of Khvalynskoye and Central fields.

As per MRC, Kazakhstan’s state-owned KazMunayGas (KMG) group and industrial gases and engineering company Linde have signed a memorandum of understanding on developing clean energy projects that may include production of green and blue hydrogen and ammonia.

The National Oil and Gas Company of Kazakhstan KazMunayGas (KMG) and the country's largest oil producer, Tengizchevroil LLP, have agreed to supply propane to the polypropylene plant in Karabatan.

According to MRC's ScanPlast report, Russia's estimated PE consumption totalled 1,868,160 tonnes in the first nine months of 2021, up by 18% year on year. Shipments of all grades of ethylene polymers increased. At the same time, PP shipments to the Russian market were 1,138,510 tonnes in the first nine months of 2021, up by 30% year on year. Supply of propylene homopolymer (homopolymer PP) and block-copolymers of propylene (PP block copolymers) increased, whereas supply of injection moulding PP random copolymers decreased significantly.
MRC