Styrolution fuels R&D with launch of SBC pilot plant in Antwerp

MOSCOW (MRC) -- Committed to enhancing global supply security while amplifying R&D capabilities, Styrolution, the global leader in styrenics, has recently launched a pilot styrene-butadiene copolymer (SBC) plant in Antwerp, reported the company on its site.

The new plant will produce all of Styrolution's SBC grades and includes capabilities for the processing of other polymer types.

An identical but scaled-down version of the larger production SBC plant (65,000 tonnes) in Antwerp, the pilot plant will be used to conduct R&D experiments, empowering customers to more easily and efficiently produce sufficient amounts of materials for in-house analysis and product testing. Additionally, the pilot plant will support daily commercial plant operations and will help to enhance specialty styrenics, such as Styrolux and Styroflex.

The launch of the new pilot plant focused on styrenic specialties also supports Styrolution's "Triple Shift" growth strategy, which calls for a focus on styrenic specialties and ABS Standard, higher-growth industries and growth in emerging markets. The plant allows customers across industries and throughout the world greater access to specialty materials, while creating a new location for R&D exploration related to new applications and material solutions.

Rudy Verstraeten, SBC Pilot Plant Project Leader, Styrolution: "We are very excited to further enhance Styrolution's global supply availability and R&D capabilities with the development and launch of this plant. This plant was developed in response to our customers' need for greater opportunities to test and experiment with our styrenic solutions. By implementing this unique solution to scaling production, we are also helping our customers identify new solutions to meet their industry's trends and needs."

We remind that, as MRC wrote before, in May 2014, Styrolution inaugurated a new line for the high performance styrenic specialty product Absolan at its Katol site located in Gujarat, India. The new 40,000 mt line intends to meet the growing demand for Absolan across key growth industries in India, such as household, electronics, automotive. Absolan customers will benefit from improved local service and greater security of supply.

The Styrolution Group GmbH is a global provider of styrenics , headquartered in Frankfurt am Main. In mid-November 2014, Ineos completed the purchase of BASF’s 50% share in Styrolution, a joint venture between the companies. Styrolution's main focus is on the production of monomer, polystyrene, styrenic specialties, and ABS. The company offers styrene plastics for a variety of everyday products from different industries, such as automotive, electronics, construction, household, leisure, packaging, medicine and health.
MRC

MOSCOW (MRC) -- Imports of general purpose polystyrene (GPPS) to the Russian market decreased in 2014 by 35% year on year, according to MRC DataScope report.

The overall GPPS imports fell to 29,600 tonnes last year versus 45,600 tonnes a year earlier. A slump in purchasing in foreign markets was caused by an increase in polystyrene (PS) production in Russia, due to the launch of a new line at Nizhnekamskneftekhim. In addition, the rouble devaluation in the second half of 2014 led to a substantial rise in prices of imported grades compared to prices of Russian material.
The foaming segment accounted for the greatest decrease. Imports of these grades slumped by almost 60%. Large importers, such as Penoplex, reduced their purchasing by 21.5% (the company increased its GPPS production by 11% in 2014, according to MRC ScanPlast report). At the same time, more than a dozen companies (with imports of up to 500 tonnes per year) that bought material in the domestic market simply ceased importing PS.
Extrusion GPPS was the most popular grade among importers. Last year's imports of extrusion grades fell by 25% and totalled 12,000 tonnes. Imports of injection moulding GPPS dropped by 9% to just over 10,000 tonnes.

MRC

MOSCOW (MRC) -- The chief executive officer and five other executives of Brazil’s state-controlled oil company Petroleo Brasileiro SA have resigned, the company said in a securities filing Wednesday, capping a tumultuous period for a company mired in debt and embroiled in a vast corruption scandal, reported The Wall Street Journal.

Chief executive Maria das Gracas Silva Foster will step down effective immediately, the company said, and Petrobras’ board of directors will meet this Friday to choose replacements for Ms. Foster and the other five departing executives.

The company didn't say in the filing who the other five executives were, and Petrobras representatives didn't immediately respond for requests for comment.

The French company would deliver flexible pipes of about 100 kilometers that would support oil production, gas lift and gas injection. These pipelines will be supplied to the Sapinhoa Norte field and I5 at Lula field, in the Santos Basin, offshore Brazil which lay at water depths of around 2,500 meters.

As MRC informed previously, in early Janury 2015, Petrobras was awarded two ultra-deepwater contracts to the project management, engineering and construction company, Technip. However, the value of the contracts has not been disclosed.

Headquartered in Rio de Janeiro, Petrobras is an integrated energy firm. Petrobras' activities include exploration, exploitation and production of oil from reservoir wells, shale and other rocks as well as refining, processing, trade and transport of oil and oil products, natural gas and other fluid hydrocarbons, in addition to other energy-related activities.
MRC

MOSCOW (MRC) -- Badger Licensing has announced that Qingdao Soda Ash Industrial New Material & Technology Co. has selected Badger’s proprietary technology for a 500,000-tpy grassroots ethylbenzene/styrene monomer (EB/SM) plant being built in Dongjiakou Port Industrial Zone Park, in Qingdao City, as per Hydrocarbonprocessing.

The technology license is being contracted through Badger’s affiliate, Technip Stone & Webster Process Technology, which is also supplying engineering, technical services and selected critical equipment for the plant.

The new plant, one of the largest EB/SM plants in China, will utilize Badger’s proprietary EBMax technology integrated with Badger’s styrene technology.

Basic engineering design work has begun and the plant is scheduled for mechanical completion and startup in 2017.

"Qingdao Soda Ash is an important new styrene producer in China," said Stuart Agler, president of Badger. "We are proud that they have selected Badger’s technologies and we look forward to working with them on this significant project to ensure the successful design, startup and operation of the plant."

Styrene monomer, with a worldwide capacity of over 30 million tpy, is a precursor to the production of a variety of polymer derivatives, including polystyrene (PS), acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS), and styrene butadiene rubber (SBR).

Badger’s EBMax and styrene technologies have been licensed more than 30 and 50 times, respectively, for plants around the world.

As MRC informed previously, in November 2014, Technip was awarded a contract by Westlake Chemical to provide detailed engineering and procurement services to expand the recovery section of Westlake’s Petro 1 ethylene plant at its complex in Sulphur, Louisiana, USA.

Badger Licensing, headquartered in Boston, Massachusetts, is a venture of affiliates of Technip and ExxonMobil Chemical. Badger Licensing is principally engaged in marketing, licensing, and developing technologies for ethylbenzene, styrene monomer, cumene, and bisphenol A.
MRC

MOSCOW (MRC) -- Williams Partners has announced its expanded Geismar plant is expected to begin manufacturing ethylene for sale in February after experiencing an unexpected delay in the final stages of commissioning, said the producer in its press release.

The plant was taken down from its final ramp-up procedure after it was determined that a brazed aluminum heat exchanger became plugged requiring cleaning and maintenance. This additional and unanticipated work is complete, and the plant will be turned back over to operations today to resume start-up.

"We are focused on safely bringing the plant into sustainable operations, restoring the reliable supply of olefins to our customers," said John Dearborn, senior vice president, Williams’ NGL & Petchem Services.

Capacity at the expanded Geismar plant is 1.95 billion pounds of ethylene per year. Williams Partners’ share of the total capacity of the expanded plant is approximately 1.7 billion pounds per year. Williams owns controlling interest in and is the general partner of Williams Partners. The partnership said it will provide an additional update on the status of the plant’s operations on or before a scheduled Feb. 19 investor conference call.

As MRC wrote before, in late November 2014, Williams Olefins extended its October ethylene force majeure allocation at its Geismar, Louisiana plant, keeping its sales allocation for November at 0%.

Williams, headquartered in Tulsa, Okla., is one of the leading energy infrastructure companies in North America. It owns controlling interests in both Williams Partners L.P. and Access Midstream Partners, L.P. through its ownership of 100% of the general partner of each partnership. Additionally, Williams owns approximately 66% and 50% of the limited partner units of Williams Partners L.P. and Access Midstream Partners, L.P., respectively. On June 15, 2014 Williams proposed the merger of Williams Partners and Access Midstream Partners. The proposed merger has been approved by boards of each partnership and is expected to close in early 2015.
MRC