EPA approves Flint Hills refinery upgrade in Texas

MOSCOW (MRC) -- The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recently issued a final greenhouse gas (GHG) Prevention of Significant Deterioration (PSD) construction permit to Flint Hills Resources in Corpus Christi, Texas, to modify an existing petroleum refinery, said Hydrocarbonprocessing.

The USD600 million project was originally announced by Flint Hills in August 2012, with the company submitting permit applications in December 2012. The approval will allow Flint Hills to modify equipment at its 230,000 bpd West refinery in Corpus Christi to help it take advantage of processing more crude oils from the nearby Eagle Ford shale.

Modifying the facility will employ up to 2,000 people, with 36 permanent employees expected. The permit became effective immediately upon signature.

In June 2010, EPA finalized national GHG regulations, which specified that beginning on January 2, 2011, projects that increase GHG emissions substantially will require an air permit.

The EPA says it believes states are best equipped to run GHG air permitting programs. Texas officials are currently working with EPA to replace a federal implementation plan with an individual state program, which would eliminate the need for businesses to seek air permits from EPA.

EPA has finalized 39 GHG permits in Texas, proposed an additional 10 permits, and currently has over 22 additional GHG permit applications under review and permit development in Texas. Flint Hills operates a 70,000 bpd East refinery in Corpus Christi.

As MRC wrote before, US expandable polystyrene (EPS) producer Flint Hills Resources is exploring the potential sale of its 120,000 tonne/year unit in Peru, Illinois.

Flint Hills Resources is US refining, chemicals and biofuels company. Its refineries produce fuels that power much of Texas, the Midwest and the Alaska interior. The company's ethanol and biodiesel plants produce fuels that are used across the United States. Its petrochemicals are used to manufacture goods from plastics to building products to packaging materials.
MRC

MOSCOW (MRC) -- Imports of polyethylene (PE) in Kazakhstan decreased by 27% in the first four months of this year. Demand for low density polyethylene (LDPE) has improved, while the demand for high density polyethylene (HDPE) has dropped by 38%, according to MRC DataScope.

PE imports in Kazakhstan reduced to 6,200 tonnes in April, compared with 9,000 tonnes in March. In general, PE imports to the local market declined to 27,700 tonnes in January - April 2014, from 37,800 tonnes in the same period of 2013. Decline in demand for plastic pipes in the local market has led to a proportional decrease of the HDPE supply, while demand for LDPE increased from film producers.

Structure of PE supplies over the reported period was as follows. April HDPE imports to the country decreased to 3,900 tonnes, compared with 6,500 tonnes in March. Decline in HDPE imports in April resulted from reduced export quotas of pipe PE from Russian producers. Total HDPE imports in Kazakhstan fell to 19,700 tonnes in the first four months of this year, compared with 32,000 tonnes in the same period in 2013.

Imports of LDPE was 1,800 tonnes in April, compared with 2,200 tonnes in March. Total LDPE imports to Kazakhstan rose to 6,500 tonnes in the January - April, from 4,100 tonnes in the same period of 2013. The growth of demand occurred for local films producers. Key suppliers of LDPE were Russian producers, with their share of 94% from the totall imports to the country over the reported period.

April imports of linear low density polyethylene (LLDPE) to the country rose to 510 tonnes, from 413 tonnes in March. Total LLDPE imports in Kazakhstan were 1,400 tonnes in the first four months of this year, compared with 1,600 tonnes in January - April 2013. Key suppliers of polyethylene in Kazakhstan were producers from Asia and Uzbekistan.


MRC

MOSCOW (MRC) -- Clariant, a world leader in specialty chemicals, is making its products available in UL’s Materials Search Engine, Prospector, so that it’s easier for designers and engineers to find color masterbatches they need to make plastics products that comply with UL standards and those of other organizations, reported the company on its site.

To protect consumers around the world from forseeable risks associated with a product, such as fire and electric shock, manufacturers must comply with accepted local standards for flammability, including IEC 60695-2-11/12/13, known as the Glow-Wire (GW) test, and UL-94 vertical and horizontal flame tests. The UL94 norm was originally a national standard in the USA and is now globally established for classifying plastic products and how they burn.

To make a UL Certified product, developers often start by specifying a UL Recognized plastic resin. However, to gain manufacturing efficiency, manufacturer often use an uncolored or natural base resin plus a special concentrate or masterbatch to add color to the product. In this case, both the plastic resin and the masterbatch need to be certified by UL. Clariant has a huge portfolio of UL Certified masterbatches marketed under the REMAFIN and RENOL trademarks.

There are over 120 different products in all, providing a potential solution for approximately 20% of the materials listed on the Prospector Search Engine. In addition to electrical and electronic applications, Clariant masterbatches are suitable for automotive, medical devices, small home appliances, power tools, construction materials like photovoltaic cells, and other consumer goods that are electrified. They can be manufactured at over 20 plants around the world.

Now that the Clariant portfolio is included in the UL Prospector’s Search Engine, masterbatch selection just got even easier. UL Prospector’s search engine is the largest and most widely used informational resource in the Plastics industry. Through a single intuitive interface, this tool enables users to efficiently search and filter a comprehensive database that already includes over 85,000 plastics and thousands of other materials too. Users can look up masterbatches by color and polymer compatibility and access.

As MRC informed previously, in April 2014, Clariant Chemicals (India ) Ltd., an affiliate of Clariant AG announced the successful closure of the acquisition of Plastichemix Industries - a Gujarat based masterbatches business in India, with production facilities at Rania, Kalol and Nandesari.

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) -- Eastman Chemical Company, through its subsidiaries, has announcing a price increase for its C5 and C9 Resins as listed below, as per the company's press release.

These increases will be effective July 1, 2014, or as contracts allow.

Piccotac Aliphatic Hydrocarbon Resins: list price increase of USDUSD 0.07/lb (USD 0.15/kg) globally. Offlist price increase of USD 0.07/lb (USD 0.15/kg) globally.

Picco Hydrocarbon Resins: list price increase of USD0.05/lb (USD 0.11/kg) globally. Offlist price increase of USD 0.05/lb (USD 0.11/kg) globally.

As MRC reported earlier, responding to a market need for a suitable material to use in hand-held and other electronic medical device housings that is tough and resistant to aggressive cleansers and disinfectants, Eastman Chemical Company is expanding its Eastman Tritan copolyester portfolio for the medical market with the introduction of Tritan copolyester MXF121. Tritan MXF121 is a bisphenol A (BPA)-free alternative to polycarbonate (PC) and PC/acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS) that can stand up to today’s aggressive disinfectants and withstand the stresses of daily use and handling.

Eastman (headquartered in Kingsport, Tennessee, USA) is a global specialty chemical company that produces a broad range of products found in items people use every day. With a portfolio of specialty businesses, Eastman works with customers to deliver innovative products and solutions while maintaining a commitment to safety and sustainability. Its market-driven approaches take advantage of world-class technology platforms and leading positions in attractive end-markets such as transportation, building and construction, and consumables. As a globally diverse company, Eastman serves customers in approximately 100 countries and had 2013 revenues of approximately USD9.4 billion.
MRC

MOSCOW (MRC) -- The board of directors of Westlake Chemical Corporation has declared a dividend of 12.6 cents per share, reported the company on its site.

The dividend will be payable on June 17, 2014, to stockholders of record on May 30, 2014.

This is the 39th successive quarterly dividend that Westlake has declared since completing its initial public offering in August 2004.

As MRC informed before, in late February 2014, the Board of Directors of Westlake Chemical Corporation declared a two-for-one split of the company's common stock and increased the quarterly cash dividend on the company's common stock by 12% to USD0.252 per share on a pre-split basis.

"These actions reflect the financial strength of the company," said Albert Chao, President and CEO. "The cash dividend increase, the second in less than a year, and the stock split demonstrates the Board's continued confidence in our ability to deliver strong earnings."

Westlake Chemical Corporation is a manufacturer and supplier of petrochemicals, polymers and building products with headquarters in Houston, Texas. The company's range of products includes: ethylene, polyethylene, styrene, propylene, caustic, VCM, PVC resin and PVC building products including pipe and specialty components, windows and fence.
MRC