Petrobras will use natural gas as feedstock in the new petrochemical complex

(Plastemart) -- Petrobras will use natural gas from the pre-salt fields as fuel and feedstock in the new petrochemical complex in Rio de Janeiro (Comperj), which is being built in Itaborai. The first refinery is expected to go into operation in late 2013. The petrochemical plant should start operating between late 2016 and early 2017 in collaboration with Braskem.

According to Petrobras' Downstream Director, Paulo Roberto Costa, the gas will be taken, probably by sub-sea pipelines (about 250 to 300 km long) to Comperj. Another possibility to bring the gas to Comperj is the use of gas vessels to liquefy natural gas in the sea and transport it to a regasification terminal on land.

About 15 mln cubic meters of natural gas daily from pre-salt as a feedstock in Comperj petrochemical plant, where will be transformed into products such as propylene, butadiene,benzene, polyethylene and polypropylene.

MRC

(LANXESS) -- Specialty chemicals company Lanxess AG is to launch its first natural product: Natural Choice is an innovative flavor that also increases the shelf life of beverages. Typical applications include non-carbonated soft drinks containing fruit juice such as still lemonade and isotonic sports drinks. Philipp Borgs, Product Manager Beverage Technology in the Material Protection Products (MPP) business unit, said: "We are now launching our new product in the United States, which is the world's biggest market for soft drinks, with annual sales amounting to USD 38 bln. Following a successful launch, other countries will follow."

Natural Choice is a fruity, lemon-tasting formulation, consisting entirely of natural ingredients. The main constituents are citrus fruit peel oil, lecithin and beeswax. "Natural Choice is only the beginning. We are continuing to carry out active research in natural, bio-identical products for the food and beverage industry, and this will be our mission for the next few years," added Ingo Broda, head of Beverage Technology.

The launch of a natural product is a further example of the commitment shown by Lanxess to Green Chemistry. The leading manufacturer of synthetic rubber owns shares in the U.S. company Gevo Inc., an expert in the production of bio-based raw materials. The two parties are working on methods to produce isobutene from renewable raw materials, which is then used for rubber production.

MRC

(Enhanced Online News)--The Dow Chemical Company and OPX Biotechnologies, Inc. announced that the two companies are collaborating to develop an industrial scale process for the production of bio-based acrylic acid from renewable feedstocks.

Dow and OPXBIO recently signed a joint development agreement to prove the technical and economic viability of an industrial-scale process to produce acrylic acid using a fermentable sugar (such as corn and/or cane sugar) feedstock with equal performance qualities as petroleum-based acrylic acid, creating a direct replacement option for the market. If collaborative research is successful, the companies will discuss commercialization opportunities that could bring bio-based acrylic acid to market in three to five years.

Dow, a leading global producer of acrylic acid and esters, will provide its expertise in industrial chemistry, process optimization and product development. OPXBIO, a company that uses biotechnology to convert renewable raw materials into biochemicals and fuels, will contribute its expertise in strain development and bioprocessing utilizing its EDGE (Efficiency Directed Genome Engineering) technology.

The global petroleum-based acrylic acid market is USD 8 bln and growing 3 to 4 percent per year. Acrylic acid is a key chemical building block used in a wide range of consumer goods including paints, adhesives, diapers and detergents.

MRC

(Arabian Oil and Gas) -- Abu Dhabi National Chemicals Company has awarded the Project Management Consulting contract to Australia's WorleyParsons for the Tacaamol Aromatics Project (TAP). ⌠This award further builds upon the official relationship between the two companies, who signed a long-term frame agreement for engineering services in January 2009, ChemaWEyaat said in a statement. ChemaWEyaat's first phase projects include the Madeenat ChemaWEyaat Al Gharbia Project and the Tacaamol Aromatics Project.

The MCAG Project will provide infrastructure requirements for the Tacaamol Aromatics Project (TAP), which consists of the design and construction of one of the world's largest Reformers to date, with a projected capacity of about 70 thousands barrel per day, and includes world-scale integrated BTX Units.

MRC

(Bloomberg) -- Saudi Arabia, holder of the world's largest oil reserves, boosted petrochemical exports in the first two months of the year on rising demand from Asia and increased local production of ethane, a feedstock. The country shipped 4.65 mln MT of petrochemicals from its ports in January and February, up 6.8 percent from 4.35 mln a year earlier, Saudi Ports Authority said yesterday on its website.

Saudi Arabia increased crude output by 300.000 barrels a day to 8.7 million in February, according to a Bloomberg survey of producers, analysts and oil companies.

Saudi Aramco plans to increase its drilling rigs by 28 percent this year, allowing for more natural gas to be extracted, the investment bank said. Demand from countries including China and India should also boost petrochemical makers' first-quarter results, it said.

MRC