The Russian producers reduced PP production in January by 2%

MOSCOW (MRC) -- The Russian producers lowered overall polypropylene (PP) production in January 2% compared to December 2010 to the level of 56.6 KT, according to MRC ScanPlast.

A non-significant reduction of production was marked at Stavrolen (LUKOIL group) and Tomskneftekhim (SIBUR Group). The main reason is increase of produced PP assortment. In other production sites the volumes of production remained in the level of December.

Tomskneftekhim (SIBUR Group) in October started production of new grades of homopolymer propylene. By February the enterprise mastered more than 15 new PP grades.

Stavrolen (LUKOIL group) in January presented only one new grade for cast films production. The release of propylene copolymers is not excluded.

According to preliminary estimates, in February a non-significant reduction of PP production is expected in the Russian enterprises. It is stipulated by some technical problems in separate production sites.

MRC

(Plastemart) -- Reliance Industries plans to invest US$30 bln over next five years in its various businesses, mainly targetted at petrochemicals, exploration and production and telecom businesses of the corporate conglomerate. The company expects its five main business in the next 5-10 years to be petrochemicals, refining, E&P, retail and telecom.

As per the proposed capex (capital expenditure) investment plan, RIL would invest US$10-12 bln in petrochemicals, while spending another US$10 bln on exploration and development of (oil and gas) discoveries already made in shale gas in India and US.

MRC

(Bayer) -- Bayer is taking a new direction in the production of high-quality plastics with the help of carbon dioxide (CO2) from the energy sector. A pilot plant has come on stream at Chempark Leverkusen to trial the new process on a technical scale. The plant produces a chemical precursor into which CO2 is incorporated and then processed into polyurethanes that are used in many everyday items. As a result, CO2 - a waste gas and key contributor to climate change - can now be recycled and used as a raw material and substitute for petroleum.

The innovative process is the result of the ⌠Dream Production project; a collaboration between industry and science. Bayer is working on the project with the energy company RWE, which supplies the CO2 used in the process. Other project partners are RWTH Aachen University and the CAT Catalytic Center, which is run jointly by the university and Bayer. The researchers recently achieved a break-through in laboratory-scale catalysis technology which makes it possible to put CO2 to efficient use, for the first time.

MRC

(BASF) -- BASF will present its wide-ranging expertise in the field of formulation additives at this year's European Coatings Show (ECS). The company will showcase its innovative solutions in the areas of dispersing agents, defoamers, rheology modifiers and slip & leveling agents, featuring the combined product portfolio of BASF and recently acquired Cognis.

New formulation additive that will be introduced at the ECS is Foamstar A 38, a defoamer for high-quality water-based architectural and industrial applications. It provides efficient defoaming performance in glossy paints for industrial maintenance, OPVs (printing inks) and parquet lacquers. In addition, it delivers excellent foam knock-down, thanks to its synergistic combination of hyper-branched polymers and organo-modified silicones.

BASF will also feature Dehydran SE 2, a high-performance silicone-polymer emulsion defoamer for premium water-based paints and clear coats. It offers good foam suppression and long-term persistency, is highly compatible and easy to handle, and minimizes gloss reduction.

MRC

(BASF) -- The Japanese companies JGC Corporation and I NPEX Corporation jointly with BASF SE have successfully completed tests of a new technology for the removal of carbon dioxide (CO2) from natural gas under high pressure . The performance of this new gas treatment technology enables a reduction of 25 to 35 percent in the cost of CO2 recovery and compression.

The so-called ⌠High Pressure Acid gas Capture Technology (HiPACT) was developed by JGC and BASF. ⌠ INPEX strives to reduce energy consumption as much as possible. This new technology offers a great opportunity to improve energy conservation. It also reduces our carbon footprint and helps curb greenhouse gas emissions, added Mr. Kazuo Yamamoto , Executive Officer and Vice President of the Technical Division at I NPEX .

Natural gas, an increasingly important source of energy, often contains CO2 when it is extracted from the well. Most of this CO2 is usually removed directly at the natural-gas source. Th e removal is achieved by means of an amine-based solvent developed by BASF. The solvent temporarily absorbs the CO2 from the high-pressure natural gas stream. The solvent is then regenerated at low pressure and fed back to the process , but this regeneration requires energy . Traditionally the CO2 released in the regeneration process has been emitted to the environment.

MRC