Qatar petrochemical sector to expand due to USD25billion investment by 2020

(GV) -- Qatar is expected to invest about USD25 billion in its petrochemical sector until 2020 as part of economic diversification, Qatar National Bank (QNB) said in a report.

As MRC informed earlier, the investment includes a planned USD6.4 bln petrochemical plant in partnership with Royal Dutch Shell Plc (RDSA) and a USD5.5 bln plant in partnership with Qatar Petrochemical Co (QP), a unit of Industries Qatar, which is the largest petrochemicals producer in the country. QP has major stakes in all petrochemical production in Qatar. To diversify and expand its downstream industrial base, Qapco has set up a number of joint ventures.

The country’s petrochemical industry currently produces around 2.6 million tonnes per year (tpy) of ethylene, a crucial building block for more complex petrochemical products.

It also produces 350,000 tpy of olefins. Ethylene and olefins are then processed further to produce a range of final products with a total output of around 2.9 million tpy.

"Qatar is moving up the value chain from basic petrochemicals to more complex products," QNB said.

The Qatar Petrochemical Company produces ethylene, low density polyethylene, and sulfur. Its facilities consist of an ethylene plant producing 525,000 tonnes per annum (tpa), two low density polyethylene (LDPE) plants with 360,000 tpa and a sulphur plant with 70,000 tpa.
MRC

MOSCOW (MRC) -- In October, imports of suspension PVC to the Russian market grew to 48,850 tonnes, up 21% from September. In general, over 351,600 tonnes of suspension were imported to Russia in January-October, according to MRC DataScope.

Last month, Russian companies increased import supplies of suspension PVC on high demand for the finished goods and limited opportunities of the local producers. In October, the total import volume of suspension PVC made about 48,850 tonnes, up 21% from September.

The bulk of import volumes of PVC still accounts for the material from the USA. In October, import of North American resin to the Russian market rose to a record level this year - 25,000 tonnes. Despite railway wagons issues, Chinese makers were able to increase export volumes of acetylene PVC to Russia up to 14,700 tonnes last month.

Despite quite a high level of export PVC prices in Europe, Russian companies have increased consumption of the European feedstock over the past months. In October, imports from Europe grew by 20% from September and made about 6,600 tonnes.

Last month, import of PVC from Ukraine was almost fully suspended due to the outage for a scheduled two-month maintenance at Karpatneftekhim (Lukoil group) in early September. By late October, all maintenance work at the plant had been completed, however, PVC production had not been resumed yet. Companies started to compensate the absence of the Ukrainian suspension in the market by importing resin from the USA.

In general, over the past nine months, the total import volume of suspension PVC to the Russian Federation made over 351,600 tonnes, down 15% year-on-year.

MRC

MOSCOW (MRC) - Imports of HDPE to Russia hit another record and reached 46,100 tonnes. The ten months’ external supply of HDPE to Russia grew by one third year on year, according to MRC DataScope.

Imports of high-density polyethylene to the Russian market continues to hit all the historical record. In October the imports of HDPE to Russia exceeded 46,100 tonnes, up 9% from September. The largest increase in imports last month fell on the pipe polyethylene.

Such significant growth in imports of HDPE to the Russian market in the first place ewsulted from long stoppage of Stavrolen (Lukoil Group) due to the accident on 15 December, 2011.

The scheduled shutdowns of Gazprom neftekhim Salavat and Kazanorgsintez forced Russian companies in the third quarter to increase significantly the purchases of film, blow and pipe HDPE in foreign markets.

Resumption of HDPE production Stavrolen in early October did not lead to the reduction in imports. Which resulted from difficult logistics of Asian and the Middle Eastern material. South Korean, Thai and Iranian HDPE made the main increase in imports.

In October, the Russian market received about 18,600 tonnes of pipe polyethylene, up 39% from September. September's stoppage of HDPE production in Ukraine on the prevention, and as a consequence, the complete stoppage of PE in October, was not fully compensated by the increase in the imports from South Korea and Iran.

In general, over the ten months of this year, the total import volume of HDPE to Russia amounted to about 336,300 tonnes, up 33% year on year.

MRC

(GV) -- Vietnam is likely to become the world’s third biggest rubber producer in the future, thus, surpassing Malaysia, according to a recent report by the Association of Natural Rubber Producing Countries.

The association estimated that Vietnam would produce 955,000 tonnes of natural rubber this year, up 17% year-on-year.

Earlier, in its September report, the association projected that Vietnam's rubber output in 2012 would be 930,000 tonnes, taking it to the fourth position in the list of world’s biggest rubber producers.

We remind, as MRC informed previously, PetroVietnam, state-run Vietnam Oil and Gas Group, had announced earlier this year that it was going to construct the second oil refinery in the country. And Vietnamese government already made a step forward in its construction by allocating land for the Kuwaiti jointly-owned refinery and petrochemicals plant.
MRC

MOSCOW (MRC) -- With Styron's participation in a multi-collaborative development project, Ford managed to win the SPE innovation award for Safety, according to the company's press release.

With Styrons's INSPIRE long glass fiber polypropylene resin (LGF PP), Ford developed an industry first-integrated plastic bracket (for hood bump-stop and headlamp attachments) that significantly reduces the risk of head injuries. Styron's material greatly adds to absorbing the impact, consequently helping Ford to meet new US Safety regulations.

Ford used this innovation in production of the new Ford Fusion, which was launched late summer 2012. Besides, the new bracket has a new design, which consists of one part only and is entirely produced with plastics material. By using this integrated plastic bracket, the Head Injury Criterion (HIC) is reduced by approximately 30% of its original value, which enables Ford to meet the Pedestrian Protection (PedPro), a new requirement for the US automotive market.

As MRC reported earlier, Renault is now launching the New Renault Clio with a thermoplastic lift-gate made with Styron's material solutions, which consits of three parts, namely, Styron's polypropylene compound, long glass fiber polypropylene resin (LGF-PP), PP impact copolymer blended with different components.

Styron is a leading global materials company. Styron’s unique product portfolio brings together plastics, rubber and latex businesses.

Styron Automotive, a business unit of Styron Corporation LLC, delivers breakthrough innovative solutions for automotive interior and exterior components. ABS, Polycarbonate, PC/ABS, LGF PP, TPOs and elastomeric materials from Styron Automotive are helping advance applications like mid and upper consoles, instrument panels, blow molded seat backs, bumper fascias, trim, and more.
MRC