Saudi Kayan receives profits of USD640m in 2021 as petrochemical sector blossoms

MOSCOW (MRC) -- Saudi Kayan Petrochemical Co., an affiliate of Saudi Basic Industries Corp (SABIC), has seen its 2021 earnings turn into profits of SR2.39 billion (USD640 million), buoyed by higher selling prices and sector-wide growth, according to ArabNews.

As the economic situation improved globally, the homegrown firm managed to erase losses of SR785 million from a year earlier, according to a bourse filing.

Revenues soared over 58% in 2021, and earnings per share amounted to SR1.6, against a loss per share of SR0.52 a year ago.

The improved performance was driven by higher selling prices and a drop in financing costs, despite an increase in feedstock costs, Saudi Kayan said in a bourse statement.

On a broader scale, data by Gastat earlier showed that outgoing chemical shipments picked up pace significantly prompting the Saudi non-oil exports growth to hit an annual rate of 26.1% in November.

As MRC wrote previously, Saudi Kayan conducted a 21-day scheduled maintenance at its ethylene glycol (EG) and ethylene oxide (EO) facilities at Jubail, Saudi Arabia, starting on 1 February, 2020. The company said that some of its other facilities that rely on EG and EO feedstocks would also undergo periodic maintenance and improvements.

EO is one of the main feedstocks for the production of purified terephthalic acid (PTA), which is used to produce polyethylene terephthalate (PET). And PET is used in the manufacturing of plastic bottles, films, packaging containers, in the textile and food industries.

Saudi Kayan operates a MEG plant in Jubai, Saudi Arabia, which has a production capacity of 566,000 mt/year.

According to MRC's ScanPlast report, Russia's estimated PET consumption grew to 737,590 tonnes in the first eleven months in 2021, up by 14% year on year. November estimated PET consumption in Russia rose by 25% to 75,760 tonnes versus 60,520 tonnes a year earlier.

Saudi Kayan Petrochemical Company is a manufacturing affiliate of the Saudi Basic Industries Corporation (SABIC). Headquartered in Jubail Industrial City, Saudi Kayan is a leading chemical maker operating in the Kingdom’s petrochemical sector since 2007.
MRC

MOSCOW (MRC) -- The board of the Eurasian Economic Commission has conducted an anti-dumping investigation into virgin low-density polyethylene (HDPE) from the Republic of Uzbekistan, the ministry said in a statement.

At the same time, taking into account the price obligations adopted by Uzbek producers and the approved volumes of imports, the measure regarding the supply of products to the countries of the Eurasian Economic Union, except for Russia, will not actually be applied.

Thus, the parameters for the presence of Uzbek polyethylene in the EAEU market have been agreed upon, taking into account the changed circumstances and the formation of the largest producer of this type of product in the Russian Federation, as well as the need for uninterrupted supply of processing enterprises from other states of the Union, where there is no production, with polyethylene at affordable prices.

"The Eurasian Economic Commission succeeded in balancing the interests of producers and consumers, as well as stabilizing the situation, taking into account the interests of Uzbek companies and the status of Uzbekistan as an observer country in the EAEU," Andrey Slepnev, Minister for Trade of the EEC, commented on the decision.

Earlier it was reported that the Eurasian Economic Commission proposes to introduce an anti-dumping duty in the amount of 20.3% of the customs value for a period of 5 years in relation to primary low-density polyethylene (HDPE) from Uzbekistan.

So, on 27 July 27, 2020, the Eurasian Economic Commission launched an anti-dumping investigation against primary low-density polyethylene originating from the Republic of Uzbekistan. The object of the investigation is primary polyethylene in solid primary forms with a specific gravity of 0.94 g/cm3 or more, originating from the Republic of Uzbekistan, classified by code 3901 20 900 9 of the FEACN of the EAEU.

The agency decided to start an anti-dumping investigation based on the results of consideration of the application filed on behalf of Nizhnekamskneftekhim (NKNKH, part of TAIF) and Kazanorgsintez (KOS, part of TAIF) and supported by the West Siberian Petrochemical Plant (ZapSibNeftekhim, part of SIBUR Holding).

The production of HDPE in Uzbekistan is carried out by the Uz-Kor Gas Chemial joint venture (Ustyurt Gas Chemical Complex, UGCC), which produces HDPE under the license of LOTTE Chemical (Korea) and the Shurtan Gas Chemical Complex (SHGCC, SGCC).

Uz-Kor Gas Chemical was put into operation in 2016 and has production capacities for the production of ethylene 400 thousand tons per year, HDPE 387 thousand tons per year, propylene and polypropylene (PP) 83 thousand tons per year. Shurtan GCC has a production capacity for the production of HDPE and LDL in the amount of 125 thousand tons per year.
MRC

MOSCOW (MRC) -- Clariant, a focused, sustainable, and innovative specialty chemical company, further underlines its commitment to decarbonize the chemical industry and supports the prestigious overall USD3.5 B project to produce green ammonia and green hydrogen in Duqm, Oman, according to Hydrocarbonprocessing.

Clariant will supply KBR with its next-generation AmoMax 10 Plus ammonia synthesis catalyst for the upcoming ACME green ammonia plant of the Oman Company for the Development of the Special Economic Zone at Duqm. Once completed, the plant will be a fully integrated, carbon-neutral facility, using solar and wind energy to produce 300 tons of ammonia per day.

Stefan Heuser, Senior Vice President and General Manager of Business Unit Catalysts at Clariant, commented, “We are convinced that green ammonia will play a crucial role in the global energy transition and with our novel ammonia synthesis catalyst AmoMax 10 Plus, we provide a state-of-the-art product to facilitate this change towards a more sustainable future. Together with our partner KBR we look forward to setting a new standard in a more sustainable and profitable green ammonia production.”

The wustite-based AmoMax 10 Plus is particularly well suited to the requirements of green ammonia production. Based on Clariant’s industry-proven ammonia synthesis catalyst AmoMax 10, this new catalyst is designed with an optimized promoter set, greatly increasing its activity and stability while reducing startup times. The superior activity of AmoMax 10 Plus allows operation with a higher per pass conversion and lower loop pressure. Consequently, it can be used to increase ammonia production and/or to reduce energy consumption. Moreover, the catalyst’s improved stability and excellent resistance to poisons like water and oxygen increase its robustness and lifetime.

These combined features ensure that AmoMax 10 Plus can deliver stable and reliable performance despite fluctuating feed conditions caused by the variable supplies of renewable energy. Overall, green ammonia producers can expect maximum yields with minimum operating expenses.

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.

Propylene is the main feedstock for the production of polypropylene (PP).

According to MRC's ScanPlast report, 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.

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.
MRC

MOSCOW (MRC) -- Sabic, a global leader in the chemicals industry, announced a new collaboration with Ella’s Kitchen, the UK’s number one baby food brand to create a new cap made from recycled plastic, said Interplasinsights.

Over 3.5 million pouches of Ella’s Kitchen’s Organic Strawberries and Apples pouches will have this new cap and will be on the shelves in UK stores from January 2022. The recycled content for the cap is created using certified circular polymers from Sabic TRUCIRCLE™ portfolio and comes from recycled plastics from post-consumer waste that would otherwise typically be destined for incineration or landfill. Sabic resins are then used by Gualapack, market leader of spouted pouches in the babyfood segment and supplier to Ella’s Kitchen, to produce the cap. Ella’s Kitchen will become the first company in the baby food category to use certified circular polymers from Sabic TRUCIRCLE portfolio.

Abdullah Al-Otaibi, ETP & Market Solution General Manager at Sabic, said: “At Sabic, we are committed to creating sustainable, innovative solutions for our customers which have been produced in a way that optimize our planet’s natural resources and create value out of post-consumer plastics. Using advanced recycling technology we produce materials for high-quality, food-grade packaging which can be upcycled over and over again. This new collaboration with Ella’s Kitchen is beneficial to the eco-system of food packaging, and is another significant step towards a circular economy for used-plastics."

The new collaboration forms part of Ella’s Kitchen’s wider packaging commitments to lower the environmental impact of its packaging and to make all of its packaging widely recyclable by 2024.

As per MRC, Sabic has started up its new polypropylene (PP) compounding line in Genk, Belgium. The new line is an addition to the company’s existing production capacity for Sabic PP compounds at the Genk site, and will use raw materials from Sabic’s PP plants at Gelsenkirchen, Germany, and Geleen, The Netherlands.

As per MRC, Sabic Innovative Plastics, a subsidiary of the largest Saudi petrochemical company - Sabic, on 27 September closed production at its polycarbonate (PC) plant in Mount Vernon (Mount Vernon, Indiana, USA) for planned preventive measures. Maintenance at this enterprise with a capacity of 245,000 tonnes of PC per year continued until 11 October.

Sabic is a diversified company manufacturing chemicals, industrial polymers, fertilizers and metals. It is the largest state-owned company in Saudi Arabia. Sabic is currently the world's second largest ethylene glycol producer, the third largest polyethylene producer, and the fourth largest polypropylene producer. Sabic cut its 2015 net profit by 7% to SR23.43 billion (Saudi reais), equivalent to USD6.24 billion, amid lower average selling prices and increased sales.

MRC

MOSCOW (MRC) -- Tatneft has decided to terminate the powers of Alexander Anikeev, general director of the Kaliningrad-based Ekopet, the company said in a statement.

"Thanks to our work with you, Ekopet Group of Companies got out of a protracted crisis associated with delivery difficulties, equipment malfunctions, a personnel crisis and conflicts," Anikeev said in a statement.

Anikeev headed Ecopet for the last six years. The reasons why Tatneft decided to replace it are not known.

The name of the new CEO is not specified, it will be presented in the near future. It is scheduled to be announced on January 31st. At the same time, the tasks set for Tatneft to develop high-tech production within the framework of the company's petrochemical strategy were taken into account.

Tatneft acquired the largest enterprise for the production and sale of PET in Russia and Eastern Europe in 2021 - in June it managed to win the auction. Ecopet sold the bank "Trust". For 6.45 billion rubles in a single lot, Tatneft bought shares and shares of companies included in the group - 100% of JSC Ecopet (production complex), 100% of OOO Trade House Ecopolymers (trading house), 100% of the industrial park of OOO BaltTehProm and rights requirements for these companies. The initial price of the auction was 3.75 bn rubles.

Tatneft also plans to launch the production of terephthalic acid (PTA) in order to provide its Ecopet plant in the Kaliningrad region with raw materials.

Ecopet is Europe's largest producer of polyethylene terephthalate. Ecopet JSC is a resident of the SEZ in the Kaliningrad region. The Ecopet group includes OOO TD "Ecopolymers" - a distributor that supplies PET both to the Russian market and to the markets of the European Union and the CIS. Another asset, BaltTechProm LLC, is an industrial park with an area of ??132 hectares with a prospective development site for another 103 hectares.
MRC