Ras Laffan Industrial City made USВ 70 billion in investments

(Arabian Oil and Gas) -- Qatar's Ras Laffan Industrial City (RLIC) is estimated to have made US$70 billion in investments to date according to its director. Abdul Aziz Jassim Al Muftah said that the city is still pursuing its planning and development programme in infrastructure of its existing industries, future hydrocarbon industries associated with LNG and support services industries.

Speaking with the Qatar News Agency, Al Muftah said that a number of major projects were slated for implementation this year, including a solar technology project to produce polysilicon and the Barzan gas company for supplying gas mostly to the domestic market, and feeding the industrial and desalination requirements.

RLIC continues to expand further with Qatar Petroleum maintaining oversight over its growth, said the director. In an updated plan for the major industrial zone, Al Muftah said that it would be expanded to cover a total area of 295 square kilometres which more than doubles its current size, helping it meet and secure the needs of Qatar's growing hydrocarbons industry over the next 30 years.

MRC

(Arabian Oil and Gas) -- Qatargas has confirmed additional LNG volumes equivalent to sixty conventional LNG cargoes to Japan, demonstrating its commitment to support its long-term Japanese customers. Sixty conventional LNG cargoes represent approximately 4 million tonnes of LNG. In other words, this is enough energy to generate approximately 28 terrawatt-hours (TWh) of electricity, or enough to meet the average electricity consumption, of five million Japanese households for a year.

This commitment is announced after Qatargas' Chief Executive Officer Khalid Bin Khalifa Al-Thani, returned from last week's visit to Japan, where he led a Qatargas delegation to meet with senior officials from Japanese utility and gas companies.

Confirming Qatargas is working to meet Japan's increased requirements for LNG Qatargas's CEO added: ⌠These additional cargoes of LNG will be supplied to a number of our long-term customers over the next 12 months. The first of these cargoes was discharged whist I was still in Japan and I anticipate further sales.

MRC

(ICIS) -- Polyethylene (PE) prices in Europe this month are stable to slightly higher compared with March, but buying remains cautious as consumers wait for price levels to ease in the coming weeks, sources said on Friday.

The US dollar has weakened against the euro, providing European producers with a buffer against the rise in upstream prices.

On Friday morning, Brent crude oil was trading at USD121.95/bbl and naphtha was at USD 1.030-1.038/tonne CIF (cost, insurance freight) NWE (northwest Europe).

The PE market is becoming fragmented and some grades are seen as firmer than others.

Availability of high-density injection and blowmoulding is tight. But even for these grades, buyers are reluctant to pay higher prices.

Low density polyethylene (LDPE) buyers are now getting some relief after several months of price increases. Monthly prices are now at a record high, trading around EUR 1.500/tonne (USD 2.174/tonne), FD (free delivered) NWE on a net basis.

MRC

(Trend) -- Azerkimya Production Unit of the State Oil Company of Azerbaijan (SOCAR) commissioned the Surface-active Substances Plant after the repair work, SOCAR said on Friday.
The plant's work was suspended in January for repair of electrolysis baths of caustic soda and chlorine production. After commissioning the plant production of caustic soda, liquid chlorine and other products was restored.

Production at the, "Organic Synthesis" plant was also suspended in connection with the repair work at the Surface-active Substances Plant. Work on this production site has been also restored.

MRC

(Plastics Today) -- A. Schulman is adding a fourth production line to its 2010 Brazilian acquisition, Mash Compostos Plasticos, boosting annual capacity at the plant by 8 to 10 million lb to a total annual capacity of approximately 22 million to 24 million lb. Mash, which was acquired on Oct. 18, 2010, is a masterbatch additive producer and engineered plastics compounder.

A. Schulman employs roughly 2900 people across 33 manufacturing facilities in North America, South America, Europe, and Asia. Six months prior to the Mash acquisition, which cost the company USD16.6 million, A. Schulman gained entry into the Brazilian market through its April 30, 2010 acquisition of ICO Inc., which included three facilities in Brazil. The company now has four locations in Brazil, including former ICO sites in Minas Gerais and Brasilia, as well as two in Sao Paulo (ex ICO and Mash).

MRC