Reliance to expand west India refineries

(hydrocarbonprocessing) -- Reliance Industries plans to expand capacity at its refineries in the western state of Gujarat, a senior executive said Monday.

"Our chairman (Mukesh Ambani) has set a target of doubling revenue for Reliance Industries. Downstream is very much part of it," the company's head of refinery operations, Tony Fountain, told reporters. Mr. Fountain didn't provide further details. Reliance's sites at Hazira, Vadodara, Gandhar in Gujarat and Nagothane in Maharashtra are integrated with crackers. The company operates twin world class refineries at Jamnagar in Gujarat, ensuring feedstock security at all the sites.

Earlier this year, Reliance unveiled an USD18 billion investment plan for India over the next five years.

Reliance Industries is one of the world's largest producers of polymers. The company's polymer production in 2010-11 (polypropylene, polyethylene and polyvinyl chloride) made 4,094 kilo tonnes.
MRC

(pressreleasefinder) -- Sabic Innovative Plastics has introduced a new NORYL resin that not only complies with current European and global sustainability regulations governing materials used in potable water systems, but also with new, tougher regulations slated to go into effect in 2016.

NORYL FE1630PW resin is a 30-percent glass-reinforced polyphenylene ether (PPE) that offers excellent hydrological performance in both cold and hot water systems. The next-generation resin also meets tightening global specifications regarding compliance of glass fiber and sizing with U.S. and European food contact requirements. Applications for NORYL FE1630PW include hydroblocks for boilers used for heating and drinking water, faucet cartridges and shower head water guide parts.

As MRC reported earlier, Sabic has introduced a new grade of polyethylene (PE) SABIC HDPE F4520 for production of plastic tubes for cosmetics, personal care, food pastes, consumer and industrial products.

Sabic is ranked among the world's largest petrochemicals manufacturers. It is the largest public company in Saudi Arabia. The comany manufactures chemicals and intermediates, industrial polymers, fertilizers and metals. It is currently the second largest global ethylene glycol producer. Among its products are propylene, paraxylene, styrene, vinyl chloride monomer.
MRC

(plastemart) -- Technip and its joint venture (JV) partners Odebrecht and ICA Fluor were awarded an engineering, procurement, and construction contract to build a USD2.7bn petrochemical complex in Mexican state Veracruz by Braskem Idesa,which is a joint venture company of Braskem and Grupo Idesa.

Under the contract, the partners will also construct two high density polyethylene (HDPE) plants using INEOS Innovene technology and a low density polyethylene (LDPE) plant using BASEL Lupotech technology.

ICA Fluor, Odebrecht, and Technip together will design and build the new Etileno XXI petrochemical complex which includes constructing an ethane-based ethylene cracker facility with a capacity of producing one million tonnes per year. The JV will employ Technip's proprietary technology at the ethylene cracker facility. The ethylene plant is expected to be ready for start up in June 2015.

As MRC informed earlier, Technip was also awarded two contracts, worth a total value of about USD50 million, for the front-end engineering design (FEED) services of two refineries in Kazakhstan. Besides, ZapSibNeftekhim LLC, an affiliate of JSC Sibur Holding, awarded two front-end engineering and design (FEED) contracts to Technip for polyethylene plants located in Tobolsk, in the Tyumen region of Russia.
MRC

MOSCOW (MRC) -- Russian makers in September reduced the production of polypropylene (PP) to 61,000 tonnes, down 18% from August. Decline in production resulted from the scheduled shutdowns of three production sites, according MRC ScanPlast.

Last month, the total volume of Russian producers of polypropylene decreased by 18%, from August and amounted to 61,000 tonnes. The decline in the PP production in September was due to the scheduled shutdowns of three production plants: Stavrolen, Neftekhimiya (Kapotnya) and Tomskneftekhim.

Also it is worth noting the decrease of capacity utilization of Nizhnekamskneftekhim in the second half of the month due to the planned shutdown.

Over the nine months, Tomskneftekhim and Ufaorgsintez increased the production of polypropylene to 100,000 tonnes and 91,000 tonnes respectively. Nizhnekamskneftekhim actually kept production at the level of last year - about 158,900 tonnes. Stavrolen and Neftekhimiya (Kapotnya) reduced production volumes by 43% and 4% to 55,000 tonnes and 82,100 tonnes.

The structure of PP production by grades over the nine months of this year has not changed significantly. The share of homopolymers of propylene still makes about 82% from total production.

In general, in January-September the total production of polypropylene in Russia amounted to 487,000 tonnes, down 5% year on year. The launch of the new capacities of Polyom in Omsk is expected to be started in November. The first stage of the polypropylene plant Tobolsk-Polymer (Sibur) is expected to be launched in Q2, 2013.

MRC

MOSCOW (MRC) -- Russian producers are reducing their PET price offers for the domestic market following declining demand from converters, according to ICIS-MRC Price report.

Russian PET prices for the domestic market went down to Rb59,000-61,000/tonne, CPT Moscow, including VAT. According to sellers, the demand in the Russian spot market keeps falling in October. In the low season, granulate consumption by PET-preform makers is rather weak. Meantime, shipments from the plants for contract clients are stable, said a source.

In the Central region, the cost of Belarusian PET contracted directly from the plant, including delivery and VAT, made Rb56,100-57,400/tonne, CPT Moscow. Consumers observed that such a price offer is rather interesting for the market, however, the current contract volumes are quite enough to meet the needs of preform makers. Due to this, spot sales of Belarusian PET in Russia remain insignificant.

Price offers of Asian Pet for Russian converters have not changed. The cost of Chinese PET, including delivery to the Central region, given the current exchange rate of 1USD=31RUB, will make Rb57,600-58,400/tonne, CPT Moscow, including VAT (excluding the cost of borrowing monetary resources). The delivery dates, during which the given material is to arrive to the customer’s warehouse, makes on average 45 days.

According to some converters, the real level of spot deals in the market can be Rb58,000/tonne, CPT Moscow, including VAT, at the moment. Consumers expect the further price reduction of bottle PET in November. Demand for the material will remain sluggish which will force producers and traders to make concessions to the buyers.
MRC