Rio Tinto has abandoned plans to build new TiO2 facilities in Canada

MOSCOW (MRC) -- Abandoning plans for proposed titanium dioxide plants in Canada and Madagascar
Canadian Press reports that UK mining group Rio Tinto has abandoned plans to build new TiO2 facilities in Canada and Madagascar, said Plasteurope.

The group had originally planned to build a USD 4 bn facility in Becancour, Quebec, but now decided to scrap the project amid the on-going decline in global titanium dioxide prices. By contrast, progress reportedly continues to be made on expanding the mining and smelting capacities in Canada, Madagascar, South Africa and Mozambique.

Rio Tinto had first decided to build the plant in Becancour at a time when the price of the white pigment reached a record high in spring 2011. Since then, TiO2 notations have been on a steady decline. It is highly likely that the UK group is not the only mining company withdrawing from earlier ambitious plans. Nevertheless, the TiO2 market remains one of overall uncertainty, as a sudden rise in demand could easily trigger yet another shortage.

Rio Tinto Group is a British-Australian multinational metals and mining corporation with headquarters in London, UK and a management office in Melbourne, Australia. The company has grown through a long series of mergers and acquisitions to place itself among the world leaders in the production of many commodities, including aluminium, iron ore, copper, uranium, coal, and diamonds. Although primarily focused on extraction of minerals, Rio Tinto also has significant operations in refining, particularly for refining bauxite and iron ore.

As MRC wrote earlier, in 2012, calculated consumption of titanium dioxide by Ukrainian companies fell by 25% on a decline of production from Sumyhimpromom and Crimean Titan, as well as fall of TiO2 purchases in foreign markets.

MRC

MOSCOW (MRC) - In January 2013 Russia's imports of polystyrene and styrene plastics made 12,200 tonnes, according to MRC ScanPlast.

Last month, PS imports fell by 26% compared to December 2012, but in relation to January 2012 it increased by 21%.
In January 2013, general purpose polystyrene (GPPS) took the leading place in Russia's imports (35%), whereas in January 2012, it was imported only 1,700 tonnes of material, and imports in December 2012 made 4,500 tonnes.

Market participants explained this increase by the delayed deliveries of the contracts concluded in late 2012. Besides, it reflects a significant increase in the supply of European GPPS to Russia in 2012.

Imports of high-impact polystyrene (HIPS) made 2,300 tonnes of material, up 45% from December 2012. More than half of the supplies was provided by Polimeri Europa, and among the others suppliers were Styrolution, LG Chem and Dongbu.

Deliveries of EPS decreased significantly. In January 2013, they made only 2,300 tonnes, from 5,200 in December 2012 and 4,300 tonnes in January 2012. The decrease in EPS supplies resulted from a significant increase in the cost of Asian material in late 2012 - early 2013.


Imports of acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene (ABS) in January 2013 made 2,200 tonnes, down 46% from last December. In 2013, the Russian market will be significantly affected by the launch of a new ABS production by Nizhnekamskneftekhim, which may result in imports decrease.

The share in imports of styrene plastics made 1,200 tonnes, where 843 tonnes were supplies of styrene-acrylonitrile, 109 tonnes - styrene-butadiene-styrene and 246 tonnes - other copolymers.


MRC

MOSCOW (MRC) -- INVISTA Technologies, a world leader in fibers, resins and chemical intermediates, and Arzeda Corp., an emerging Seattle-based biotechnology company, have entered into strategic partneship for the development of new technologies to enable novel bio-derived processes, according to Businesswire.

The agreement brings together complementary technologies: INVISTA’s capabilities in biotechnology and catalysis, and knowledge of the chemicals industry; and Arzeda’s unique synthetic biology and enzyme design capabilities. The two companies are collaborating in order to further co-develop their technology platforms, with the goal to ultimately develop new bio-derived processes for a range of products.

We remind that, as MRC reported previously, Invista Performance Technologies had acquired from La Seda de Barcelona SA intellectual property relating to its leading purified terephthalic acid (PTA), polyethylene terephthalate (PET) and related process technologies, including the full rights to exclusively license the technologies in the region comprising Europe, the Middle East and Africa.

Arzeda, an emerging Seattle-based biotechnology company, is pioneering a new synthetic biology with its computational enzyme design technology. Arzeda creates value for its partners in the agricultural and industrial biotechnology sectors by designing novel, reaction-specific optimized enzymes and designer organisms leveraging synthetic metabolic pathways.

INVISTA is one of the world’s largest integrated producers of polymers and fibers, primarily for nylon, spandex and polyester applications. With a business presence in over 20 countries, INVISTA’s global businesses deliver exceptional value for their customers through technology innovations, market insights and a powerful portfolio of global trademarks.
MRC

MOSCOW (MRC) -- Kolkata-headquartered Dhunseri Petrochem and Tea Ltd (DPTL) plans to take its downstream petrochemicals facility in Egypt on stream by July this year, according to Plastemart.

The Egypt unit is being set up at an estimated investment of nearly Rs 900 crore, as per The Hindu.

According to C.K. Dhanuka, Executive Chairman, Dhunseri, the greenfield PET (Polyethylene terephthalate) resin plant, with an annual capacity of 430,000 tonnes will become operational in two phases. While the first phase, of 215,000 tonnes capacity, will be operational in early July; the second phase (similar capacity) is expected to be ready around August.

The Egypt project had suffered a two-month setback because of the civil unrest in the region followed by a delay in supply of product lines from India. The delay, however, has not had any major impact on the project cost.

As a part of its Rs 1300-crore expansion plans, the company has recently made operational its second PET resin facility at Haldia in West Bengal, at an investment of Rs 400 crore.

As MRC wrote earlier, DPTL is hoping to triple its turnover to Rs.60 bln in fiscal 2013-14 with the commissioning of its Egyptian PET project.

Dhunseri Petrochem & Tea Limited (DPTL) is the flagship company of the Dhunseri group. DPTL's petrochemical division produces the finest bottle-grade PET resin for packaging of drinking water, carbonated soft drinks, edible oil and pharmaceuticals and many more. The petrochem division is one of the largest producers of PET (polyethylene terephthalate) resin in India.
MRC

MOSCOW (MRC) -- US oil and gas conglomerate ExxonMobil and Russia's OAO Rosneft has signed an agreement to broaden their existing joint venture by adding seven more licenses to develop hydrocarbon resources on Russia's Arctic shelf, according to Hydrocarbonprocessing with reference to ExxonMobil's deputy CEO Stephen Greenlee.

Most notably, the companies plan to conduct a feasibility study on constructing a liquefied natural gas (LNG) plant on the island of Sakhalin off Russia's Pacific coast.

Rosneft is lobbying to be allowed to export LNG, which currently only OAO Gazprom is permitted to do by law.

As MRC reported earlier, Exxon and Rosneft formed an alliance in 2011 to develop potentially huge but largely untapped reserves on Russia's Arctic shelf and shale oil in Western Siberia. The partners agreed to expand and expedite joint efforts to develop oil reserves in tight low-permeability formations in Western Siberia using advanced technologies that ExxonMobil has successfully employed in North America.

As well as Exxon, Rosneft has partnership deals with Italy's eni and Norway's Statoil to develop offshore resources.

Rosneft is currently buying competitor TNK-BP in deals worth USD55 billion that will create the largest listed oil producer in the world and will hand BP a 19.8% stake in the oil giant.
MRC