Borealis hires contractor Neste Jacobs on cracker upgrade in Sweden

MOSCOW (MRC) -- Borealis has signed an agreement for technology, engineering and project management company Neste Jacobs to deliver EPCM services for the upgrade of the process section part of Borealis' steam cracker to enable increased ethane cracking in Stenungsund, Sweden, reported Hydrocarbonprocessing.

The steam cracker is one of the most feedstock-flexible in Europe and in addition to ethane, it can also crack naphtha, propane and butane.

"For us, the agreement with Borealis is a prominent sign of confidence, which we are proud of", said Jarmo Suominen, managing director of Neste Jacobs.

"We are aiming to be the preferred solution provider also for hydrocarbon industry," he added. "This unique enhanced ethane cracking implementation project reinforces this position, and it is a matter of honor for us that Borealis has chosen Neste Jacobs to be their partner."

As MRC informed earlier, Borealis will import ethane from the US for the upgraded steam cracker at Stenungsund, which is designed to produce 625.000 tpy of ethylene. Borealis is investing a combined EUR120 million in the storage tank and upgrade of the cracker, to enable the plant to use more ethane.

Borealis is a leading provider of innovative solutions in the fields of polyolefins, base chemicals and fertilizers. The only polyethylene (PE) producer in Sweden, Borealis’ Stenungsund facilities include a PE plant, a cracker for ethylene and propylene production, and an innovation center focused on research and development for infrastructure markets.
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MOSCOW (MRC) -- Clariant, a world leader in specialty chemicals, has announced the inauguration of an important new extension to its production facility in Roha, south-east of Mumbai, India. The expansion doubles its capacity at the facility for pigments and pigment preparations. as per the company's press release.

This higher output will enable the company to increase its market coverage in India and the neighboring countries of Bangladesh and Sri Lanka, and to provide products better tailored to customer needs.

The increase in capacity has been made possible with the introduction of the very latest equipment for high-end pigment preparation. The improved plant, in which Clariant has invested CHF 3.2 million (INR 20 crores), forms part of a strategic program that the company has been carrying out in recent years to support customers in emerging markets with high quality pigments and pigment preparations that comply with local and international eco-labeling schemes.

Pigments and pigment preparations produced at the Roha plant are for a wide range of applications, including interior and exterior coatings, packaging, personal, home and fabric care products seed coatings, and dispersions for printing.

"Clariant is investing across Asia to develop production, technical support and commercial service capabilities that will enable our customers in this rapidly growing region to be successful in growing their business," says Hariolf Kottmann, CEO of Clariant. "The enhanced capability in Roha complements improvements we have made and continue to make in our various operations in China, Indonesia, and elsewhere."

As MRC wrote before, 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 in India is now one of the leading masterbatches producer, that offers a wide range of products like black, white, additive, filler & colour masterbatches, flushed pigments & mono-concentrates and engineering plastics compounds.

Clariant Chemicals (India) Limited and custom color and additive products with production of more than 10,000 color matches which are completed each year. With more than 50 manufacturing plants around the world, Clariant
Masterbatches products, technology and service deliver competitive advantages that foster long-term customer relationships.
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MOSCOW (MRC) -- Asahimas, a joint venture between Japan’s Asahi Glass Company and Indonesia’s Rodamas Group, has restarted one of two vinyl chloride monomer (VCM) lines following a partial maintenance turnaround, as per Apic-online.

A Polymerupdate source in Indonesia informed that the VCM line was shut on August 20, 2014. It restarted on September 15, 2014.

Located at Cilegon in Banten province, Indonesia, the VCM line which restarted has a capacity of 240,000 mt/year while the line which is operating has a capacity of 160,000 mt/year.

As MRC reported earlier, Asahimas Chemical plans to invest up to USD400 million to expand its petrochemical facility in Cilegon, Banten. The company started construction last year, according to Eddy Sutanto, a director of Asahimas Chemical.

This expansion will allow for the increased production of caustic soda to 700,000 tonnes a year from the current 500,000 tonnes a year and will increase production of polyvinyl chloride (PVC) to 600,000 tonnes from 280,000 tonnes.

"Construction will take at least two to two-and-a-half years. The factory is expected to start producing by the end of 2015," he added.

PT Asahimas Chemical operates integrated Chlor Alkali-Vinyl Chloride plants in Cilegon, Banten, Indonesia, and produces basic chemicals for many of downstream industries.
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MOSCOW (MRC) -- BASF, the world's petrochemical major, will expand the manufacturing plant for its LIX product range at its Cork site, Ireland, reported the company on its site.

An investment is underway with production scheduled by end of 1Q, 2015.

The LIX product range of Solvent Extractants is used for hydrometallurgical extraction of copper from oxide ores. BASF has a broad range of reagents and provides optimized solutions, particularly for mines experiencing difficult operating conditions.

"With the enlarged capacity, we are able to reliably supply to the steadily increasing demand for our LIX reagents. This is an example of our approach to offer our customers the best possible combination of high quality products and competent on-site service. We are expanding our capacity to support our customers in their growth and accompany them as a reliable supplier into the future, too" said Francois Desne, Senior Vice President, Global Business Unit Water, Oilfield and Mining Solutions.

Recently the Regional Business Management Mining Solutions has established new technical laboratories in Johannesburg, South Africa, Shanghai, China and Moscow, Russia to be closer to the customers and enhance technical service.

As MRC wrote previously, in September 2014, BASF announced a start-up of a new butadiene extraction plant at its Verbund site in Antwerp, Belgium. The plant has an annual production capacity of 155,000 metric tons.

The plant in Antwerp is BASF’s second butadiene extraction plant in Europe. BASF already operates a butadiene extraction plant at its Verbund site in Ludwigshafen, Germany, with an annual production capacity of 105,000 metric tons. With the plant in Antwerp, BASF is more than doubling its production capacity for butadiene in Europe.

BASF is the world’s leading chemical company. Its portfolio ranges from chemicals, plastics, performance products and crop protection products to oil and gas. BASF had sales of about EUR74 billion in 2013 and over 112,000 employees as of the end of the year.
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MOSCOW (MRC) - DuPont will pay a USD1.85 million penalty to resolve allegations that the global chemical company did not properly disclose the risks of using one of its herbicides, leading to widespread damage to tree species through several U.S. states, said Reuters.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) ordered DuPont to stop selling the herbicide, Imprelis, in August 2011 after the agency received more than 7,000 reports of tree damage or death tied to its use. Damage to trees, primarily Norway spruce and white pine, was reported throughout Indiana, Illinois, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio, Wisconsin and several other Midwest states.

DuPont, whose formal name is E.I. du Pont de Nemours and Co, made about 320 shipments of Imprelis in 2010 and 2011 before the EPA ordered it to stop. The company marketed the herbicide for lawn and turf applications on residential and commercial lawns, golf courses, sod farms, schools, parks, and athletic fields. It was designed to control weeds such as dandelions, clover, thistle, plantains and ground ivy.

The EPA found DuPont failed to submit reports on the potential adverse effects of Imprelis, and sold it with labeling that did not ensure its safe use.

As MRC wrote before, last month DuPont agreed to pay a fine of USD1.275 million and spend an estimated USD2.3 million more to settle claims by U.S. officials that it failed to prevent toxic releases of hazardous substances in West Virginia.

DuPont, is an American chemical company that was founded in July 1802. DuPont developed many polymers such as Vespel, neoprene, nylon, Corian, Teflon, Mylar, Kevlar, Zemdrain, M5 fiber, Nomex, Tyvek, Sorona and Lycra. DuPont developed Freon (chlorofluorocarbons) for the refrigerant industry, and later more environmentally friendly refrigerants. It developed synthetic pigments and paints including ChromaFlair.
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