Clariant StyroMax UL3 catalyst demonstrates good results at SM plant in China

Clariant StyroMax UL3 catalyst demonstrates good results at SM plant in China

MOSCOW (MRC) -- Clariant has recently announced that its StyroMax UL3 catalyst is demonstrating successful results at Risun’s new styrene monomer (MS) plant located in Tangshan, China, according to Hydrocarbonprocessing.
After a smooth and stable catalyst start-up in October 2020, the plant is reporting very profitable operation with excellent production output. The project is a cooperation between Clariant Catalysts and engineering company Changzhou Ruihua Chemical Engineering Technology Co. Ltd. Through Ruihua’s technology and Clariant’s catalyst, the Risun plant has been able to achieve productivity rates exceeding 120% of the new plant’s nominal design capacity - which is also the highest among all Ruihua process plants in China.

Stefan Heuser, Senior Vice President & General Manager at Clariant Catalysts, commented, “We are delighted by the results of our cooperation with Ruihua in this project. As one of China’s leading private chemicals groups, Tangshan Risun is a highly valuable reference for our StyroMax UL3 styrene catalyst, which has more than demonstrated its excellence for profitable SM production.”

Based on current catalyst performance, the plant is expected to maintain increased yields with productivity of 120% or more. At the same time, it is able to operate at an extremely low steam-tooil ratio of 1.1 wt/wt, which is the lowest among all Ruihua process plants in operation. Consequently, the Risun plant is reporting exceptional energy efficiency. Such benefits are possible for plants operating adiabatic units with low steam-to-oil ratios, since the catalyst is specially designed for these conditions.

The latest generation of the series, the StyroMax UL3 catalyst, is designed to promote dehydrogenation from ethylbenzene to styrene at ultra-low steam-to-oil ratios. While previous catalysts could provide either high activity or high selectivity at such conditions, StyroMax UL3 is the first catalyst to support both, thereby improving yield and significantly reducing process expenses for styrene producers.

As MRC reported earlier, in October 2020, Clariant announced the construction of a new state-of-the-art catalyst production site in China. This project represents a significant investment which further strengthens Clariant’s position in China and enhances its ability to support its customers in the country’s thriving petrochemicals industry.

The new facility will be primarily responsible for producing the Catofin catalyst for propane dehydrogenation, which is used in the production of olefins such as propylene. Thanks to its excellent reliability and productivity, Catofin delivers superior annual production output compared to alternative technologies, resulting in increased overall profitability for propylene producers, says the company. Construction at the Dushan Port Economic Development Zone in Jiaxing, Zhejiang Province was scheduled to commence in Q3 2020, and Clariant expects to be at full production capacity by 2022.

Ruihua Technology is China’s largest process technology licensor for ethylbenzene to styrene monomer, focused on processes with low energy and material consumption using various ethylene feedstock, such as polymer grade ethylene or high ethylene gas content. Over the past decade, the company has been awarded 22 references in China.

Clariant AG is a Swiss chemical company and a world leader in the production of specialty chemicals for the textile, printing, mining and metallurgical industries. It is engaged in processing crude oil products in pigments, plastics and paints.
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Rosneft and CNPC agreed to cooperate in the field of low carbon development

Rosneft and CNPC agreed to cooperate in the field of low carbon development

MOSCOW (MRC) -- Rosneft Oil Company and China National Petroleum Corporation (CNPC) signed the Memo on Cooperation in the field of low carbon development, said the company.

Within the visit of the delegation headed by the President of the Russian Federation Vladimir Putin to Beijing (PRC), PJSC Rosneft Oil Company and China National Petroleum Corporation (CNPC) signed the Memo on Cooperation in the field of low carbon development.

Signatures under the document were affixed by Igor Sechin, the Chief Executive Officer of Rosneft, and Dai Houliang, the Chairman of the Board of Directors of CNPC.

In accordance with the Agreement of Rosneft and CNPC there are prospects of interaction worked out concerning a set of areas of low carbon development, particularly in reduction of greenhouse gas emissions, including methane, technologies of energy efficiency as well as CO2 capture and storage (CCS). Parties also consider other areas of potential cooperation in the field of low carbon development as well. Low carbon technologies developed by the companies, including “smart” and digital solutions, in the future may be applied within the large-scale joint petroleum projects in Russia and China.

Rosneft and CNPC are organizers of Russian-Chinese Energy Business Forum established by the instruction of the President of the Russian Federation Vladimir Putin and the President of the People's Republic of China Xi Jinping. The objective of this Forum is a development of the energy dialogue between Russia and China, increase in bidirectional commodity circulation, extension of the portfolio of joint projects, attraction of investments and funding of projects.

In May 2017 during the official visit of Russian President Vladimir Putin to China, Rosneft and CNPC signed the Agreement on the establishment of the Joint Coordinating Committee (JCC). The Committee was established for development of the cooperation of the companies in a number of strategic areas, including interaction in the exploration and development of oil and gas fields, oil refining and petrochemicals, trade in oil and oil products, scientific and technical research, training of personnel, as well as the implementation of promising projects in the field of supply and oil services. In November 2021 there was the fourth meeting of the JCC.

Rosneft is a member of the United Nations Global Compact thus confirming its commitment to the highest principles of the sustainable development. Rosneft annually publishes a detailed information about its ESG activities in its sustainable development reports.

Rosneft is the world's largest public oil company. The company accounts for about 5% of global oil production, and its proven reserves in the international category will exceed 5 billion tons of oil equivalent. The structure of Rosneft includes the Angarsk Polymer Plant and Ufaorgsintez (part of the structure of Bashneft) after the closing of the deal to purchase Bashneft on October 12, 2016. The main shareholder of Rosneft is the state-controlled Rosneftegaz (50% plus one share), and the British BP owns another 19.75%.
MRC

Sumitomo Chemical net profit jumps on growth of petchemichal, plastics business earnings

Sumitomo Chemical net profit jumps on growth of petchemichal, plastics business earnings

MOSCOW (MRC) -- Sumitomo Chemical reports a steep increase in net profit to Yen 133.6 billion (USD1.1 billion) in the fiscal first nine months ended 31 December, from Yen 20.2 billion a year earlier, on sales up 24% to Yen 2.0 trillion, as per the company's press release.

Operating income was Yen 197.9 billion, higher by 71% year on year (YOY).

Sales at Sumitomo's petrochemicals and plastics business segment, the company's largest, rose by 53% YOY to Yen624.9 billion. The unit swung to an operating profit of Yen 51.9 billion from an operating loss of Yen 27.8 billion a year earlier. The company adds that market prices for petchem products, synthetic resins, and synthetic fibers increased owing to demand recovery and a rise in raw material costs. Margins also improved.

At the energy and functional materials segment, operating income grew 19.5% YOY, to Yen 18.6 billion and sales rose 29.2%, to Yen 226.6 billion. Shipments of separators for lithium-ion secondary batteries performed well. Market prices for aluminum and for the metal raw materials for cathode materials increased, resulting in higher selling prices.

The company has not published a forecast for the full fiscal year ending 31 March 2022.

As MRC reported earlier, Sumitomo Chemical is building additional production lines for its liquid crystal polymer (LCP) super engineering plastic at the company's site in Ehime. This expansion will increase the group’s production capacity of LCP by around 30%. The new production lines are scheduled to be completed in the summer of 2023. LCP has been used for a broad range of applications, including electronic components for PCs and smartphones.

We remind, Sumitomo Chemical will establish a subsidiary, Sumika Polymer Compounds Poland (SPCP), to build and operate a polypropylene (PP) compounding facility at PoznaA, Poland. The capacity of the planned PP compounding plant will be 30,000 metric tons/year. It is due to commence operations in 2022.

Sumitomo Chemical, a leading Japanese chemical company, was founded with a mission to drive societal impact and solve environmental challenges through technology. They have been exploring new opportunities to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050.
MRC

Gazprom and CNPC sign agreement to supply Russian pipeline gas to China via Far Eastern route

Gazprom and CNPC sign agreement to supply Russian pipeline gas to China via Far Eastern route

MOSCOW (MRC) -- Russia and China have agreed a second long-term gas supply deal, this time for 10 billion cubic metres (bcm)/year which will take total contractual supply between the two countries to 48bcm/year, said the company.

Gazprom and China National Petroleum Corporation (CNPC) signed a long-term Sales and Purchase Agreement for natural gas to be supplied via the Far Eastern route.

The signing of this document is an important step towards further strengthening the mutually beneficial cooperation between Russia and China in the gas sector. As soon as the project reaches its full capacity, the amount of Russian pipeline gas supplies to China is going to grow by 10 billion cubic meters, totaling 48 billion cubic meters per year (including deliveries via the Power of Siberia gas trunkline).

“This is already a second contract to be signed for Russian gas supplies to China, and it is indicative of the exceptionally strong mutual trust and partnership between our countries and companies. Our Chinese partners from CNPC have already seen for themselves that Gazprom is a reliable gas supplier,” said Alexey Miller.

Gazprom on reported the agreement with China’s CNPC for delivery through what is called the Far Eastern Route. The news comes as Russian President Putin visited China for the start of the Beijing Winter Olympics, where the two countries issued a statement on their cooperation on a range of issues, including energy.

In January, Gazprom completed a feasibility study for the Soyuz Vostok pipeline that would become an extension of the Power of Siberia 2 pipeline through Mongolia and which would have a capacity of 50bcm/year. In addition to the latest supply contract and the existing Power of Siberia contract, this would take potential nameplate supply from Russia to China close to 100bcm/year.

We remind, that in December 2020, SIBUR Holding, Russia’s leading petrochemicals company and one of the most rapidly growing petrochemicals businesses globally, and China Petroleum & Chemical Corporation (Sinopec), China’s leading energy and chemical company, have closed the deal to set up a joint venture (JV) at the Amur Gas Chemical Complex after obtaining all the necessary approvals from the regulators of both countries. SIBUR and Sinopec will hold interest in the JV in the amount of 60% and 40%, respectively.

PJSC Gazprom is a Russian energy company engaged in exploration, production, transportation, storage, processing and sale of gas, gas condensate and oil, as well as production and sale of heat and electricity. The largest company in Russia, the largest gas company in the world, owns the longest gas transmission system (over 160,000 km). It is the world leader in the industry.
MRC

COVID-19 - News digest as of 04.02.2022

1. Eastman expands global tertiary amines capacity

MOSCOW (MRC) -- Eastman's care additives business has announced the completion of a significant expansion of its tertiary amine capacity, primarily DIMLA 1214, at both its Ghent, Belgium, and Pace, Florida, manufacturing sites, said the company. The Ghent expansion has led to an increase in capacity, while the Pace expansion has improved production flow, making it the world's largest tertiary amine unit. Demand for tertiary amines had increased because of rising consumer demand that was caused by the coronavirus pandemic, Eastman said.

MRC