Another project delivered by Grupa Azoty ZAK under New Energy Concept

Grupa Azoty ZAK has successfully completed its latest investment project, installing a new oxygen compressor at the Ammonia Department of its plant in Kedzierzyn Kozle, set to bring about notable improvements in process and workforce safety, said the company.

Worth nearly PLN 77m, the project marks another milestone in the New Energy Concept, one of the flagship investment programmes currently underway at Grupa Azoty ZAK.

The key element of the project was to replace the aging oxygen compressors driven bysteam turbines with a new, electrically driven counterpart.The placement of the new compressor within a dedicated facility will contribute positively to the overall safety standards for workers, while ensuring the continuity of production.

The comprehensive scope of the work encompassed various aspects, including the procurement and installation of the new compressor with all associated equipment, but also the construction of the compressor facility, provision of utility pipelines to support the compressor and the facility, installation of control and measurement systems, and establishment of power supply infrastructure. Furthermore, it involved the integration of the new compressor into the existing units of the Ammonia Department as well as the system of process controls and interlocks.

“The recently completed project was undertaken to advance our New Energy Concept – a programme focused on harnessing heat generated during ammonia production to obtain energy carriers and electricity. We are now on the verge of the programme completion, with overall progress exceeding 90 percent,” explains Filip Grzegorczyk, President of the Management Board of Grupa Azoty ZAK and Vice President of the Management Board of Grupa Azoty S.A.

As part of the larger strategy of the New Energy Concept, the Company is concurrently progressing with the seventh and final task: the construction of a peak-load/reserve boiler house within the Energy Business Unit.

We remind, PKN Orlen announced a deal potentially worth an estimated zloty (Zl) 18bn (USD4.4bn) to supply fellow Polish state-owned firm Grupa Azoty companies with natural gas. Orlen and Azoty agreed on a supply contract covering the period running from 1 October this year to the end of September 2026, with an option for a one-year extension, Orlen added.

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Amcor, a global leader in developing and producing responsible packaging solutions, today announced a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with leading sustainable polyethylene producer NOVA Chemicals Corporation for the purchase of mechanically recycled polyethylene resin (rPE) for use in flexible packaging films, said the company.

Increasing the use of rPE in flexible packaging applications is an important element of Amcor’s commitment to support packaging circularity.

The supply agreement would enable Amcor to purchase SYNDIGO™ rPE resin, manufactured at NOVA Chemicals’ first mechanical recycling facility in Connersville, Indiana, which is projected to be in operation as early as 2025. The recycling facility was announced in July as a significant expansion of NOVA Chemicals’ Circular Solutions business.

“This is an exciting opportunity for us to supplement our rPE supply in support of our target to achieve 30% recycled material usage across our global portfolio by 2030,” said Fred Stephan, president of Amcor Flexibles North America. “Incorporating rPE into flexible packaging films helps brand owners meet voluntary commitments on recycled content targets, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and keep plastic waste in the economy and out of the environment.”

“We are pleased to work with Amcor to bring more film-grade rPE to market and further drive the circular economy,” said Greg DeKunder, vice president, NOVA Circular Solutions. “Reshaping plastics for a better future will take collaboration within our industry, and we share Amcor’s commitment to further global packaging circularity.”

NOVA Chemicals plans to expand its recycling footprint across North America over the next several years to help reach its industry-leading ambition of 30% share of total PE sales from products containing recycled content.

We remind, Amcor, a global leader in developing and producing responsible packaging solutions, announced today that it has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with SK Geo Centric (SK), a leading petrochemical company based in South Korea, to source advanced recycled material primarily in the Asia Pacific region beginning in 2025.

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Vynova Group, part of the International Chemical Investors Group (ICIG), plans to invest a high double-digit million-euro amount in the construction of a plant complex for the production of all common sodium and potassium alcoholates at the Lulsdorf site in Germany, said Process-worldwide.

ICIG acquired the Lulsdorf site from Evonik earlier this year and currently produces sodium and potassium alcoholates exclusively for Evonik through its subsidiary Lulsdorf Functional Solutions (LFS). Due to regulatory requirements (UN Minamata Convention on Mercury), the LFS alcoholate production facilities will have to be closed at the end of 2027.

Alcoholates, also known as alkoxides, are used in a variety of applications, but predominantly in the production of biodiesel. With the planned investment, Vynova Group will ensure the continuous supply of the European market from local production.

Vynova Group already operates a smaller production plant for sodium methylate at its subsidiary MSSA in La Rochelle (France) with an annual capacity of 20,000 tonnes.

We remind, International Chemical Investors Group (ICIG) and Vynova Group announced the appointment of Christophe Andre as new President of Vynova Group, with effect from 1 September 2021. Christophe Andre will succeed Stefan Sommer, who will retire as President of Vynova Group and assume the role of Chairman of the Supervisory Board of Vynova Holding.

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Occidental Petroleum beat analysts' third-quarter profit estimates on strong U.S. oil production, but its results were well below a year ago due to lower energy prices and weaker chemical and pipeline results, said the company.

The oil and gas company reported a USD1.18 a share profit compared to average Wall Street analyst forecasts for an 84 cent a share profit, according to LSEG. Adjusted earnings fell by more than half to USD1.13 billion compared to the same quarter last year.

U.S. oil producers are reporting weaker third-quarter profits on a drop in oil and gas prices from a year ago. But earnings are up compared to the second quarter on an improvement in prices.

Occidental sold its oil for an average $80.70 per barrel in the third quarter, down from USD83.64 per barrel from a year earlier, but up 10% from the second quarter.

It bought back USD342 million of Berkshire Hathaway's (BRKa.N) preferred shares, bringing redemptions this year to 15% of the initial USD10 billion investment by Warren Buffett's firm that was used by Occidental to fund its acquisition of Anadarko Petroleum in 2019.

We remind, Occidental Petroleum’s carbon capture, utilisation and sequestration (CCUS) subsidiary, 1PointFive, has been selected to receive a grant from the US Department of Energy (DOE) for the development of its South Texas Direct Air Capture (DAC) Hub in Kleberg county, south of Corpus Christi. The hub is expected to include the world’s first DAC plant designed to remove up to 1m tonnes/year of carbon dioxide (CO2). The funding by the DOE's Office of Clean Energy Demonstrations will support the development of the DAC hub, Occidental said on Friday without disclosing financial details.

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Alpek is depolymerizing polyethylene terephthalate (PET) and incorporating the monomers into a product line of Octal polyester sheet, a company director for the Mexican producer said.

Because Alpek is using monomers extracted from recycled PET, the resulting Octal sheet is virtually indistinguishable from virgin material. Recycled content gives Octal another way to stand out.

Unlike other PET sheet technologies, Octal sheet does not require a pellet step, said Alejandro Sanchez, senior director, sales and marketing, North America, PET sheet, Alpek Polyester. He made his comments on the sidelines of the Plastimagen plastic trade show in Mexico.

Instead, it has only a polymerization step and a sheet calendering step, according to Alpek. It is then ready to be shipped to thermoformers. The lack of a pellet step means that Octal PET sheet has a shorter heat history, Sanchez said. That makes it easier for the material to be recycled, since the shorter heating history prevents further degradation of properties.

Sanchez noted other benefits of the material. It has better clarity and better gauge control than polyester sheets made with different technologies. Gauge control allows Octal sheets to have more uniform thickness, he said. That, in turn, allows longer cycles and more efficient operations.

About 85% of Octal's market is in the food packaging business, he said. Some material is used in medical packaging. Alpek completed the acquisition of Octal in 2022.

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