Lawmakers support USD257M deal for Sasol fuel plant

MOSCOW (MRC) -- Lawmakers reversed course Thursday and backed a contract with South African energy company Sasol Ltd. to build a multibillion-dollar fuel plant in southwest Louisiana in exchange for USD257 million in state incentives over a decade, said Thenewstribune.

The Joint Legislative Committee on the Budget agreed to the contract without objection, a week after delaying a vote on the project because committee members said they had too little information about the potential costs to the state budget.

On Thursday, lawmakers said they had received the details they sought from Gov. Bobby Jindal's administration to be able to analyze the project and determine the fuel plant would be an economic boon to the state.

Sasol will spend at least USD14.5 billion to build a complex near Lake Charles that will turn natural gas into chemicals, diesel and other fuels. The company expects to create 1,272 new jobs at the facility.

Jindal's economic development secretary, Stephen Moret, cited an LSU economic study that said the project is expected to generate USD873 million in state taxes over 15 years and billions of dollars in new business sales and household earnings over the same time.

State incentives include millions of dollars in tax breaks, a USD20 million worker training facility and a USD115 million payment to the company for land and infrastructure that will be left to a future governor's administration and lawmakers to fund.

As MRC wrote before, INEOS Olefins & Polymers USA and Sasol has announced the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the intent to form a joint venture to manufacture high-density polyethylene (HDPE).

Sasol Limited is an integrated energy and chemical company based in Johannesburg, South Africa. It develops and commercialises technologies, including synthetic fuels technologies, and produces different liquid fuels, chemicals and electricity.

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MOSCOW (MRC) -- Swiss company Clariant introduces new PA 6.6 compounds for injection moulding, said Plasteurope.

Parts machined from bar stock, such as the bushings, left, can be expensive. By injection moulding Clariant MoS2 lubricated PA 6.6 to near-finished shape prior to machining, processors can make the same parts (right) in less time and with minimal material waste.

Injection moulding grades of molybdenum disulphide-filled PA 6.6 compounds are now available from Swiss speciality chemicals producer Clariant. The company said the materials have been developed for applications requiring toughness, high compressive strength and lubricity.

"Renol" 6642 MoS2 lubricated PA 6.6 compound has a tensile strength at yield of 11,500 psi and breaks at 40% tensile elongation. Its properties make it an alternative in metal replacement for applications such as bushings. By injection moulding the material, processors eliminate scrap almost entirely and cut manufacturing times by 75% or more, Clariant said.

For applications requiring tight tolerances, parts can be moulded and then machined to finished dimensions with minimal material waste and improved cycle times.

As MRC wrote before, Clariant announced that it has signed a long-term supply contract with OMV. From 2015, the Austrian oil and gas company will supply Clariant’s site in Gendorf (Germany) with ethylene. This agreement will enable Clariant to source most of its requirements for this important basic chemical in southern Bavaria.

Clariant AG is a Swiss chemical company and a world leader in the production of specialty chemicals for the textile, printing, mining and metallurgical industries. It is engaged in processing crude oil products in pigments, plastics and paints.

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MOSCOW (MRC) -- In August Evonik Acrylics Africa (EEA) is to begin producing extruded PLEXIGLAS sheets in Elandsfontein, Johannesburg, according to the company's press release.

With an initial number of 20 employees and a new extrusion facility, some several thousand metric tons of semi-finished material will be produced per year for the African market. The products, which are manufactured in accordance with international quality standards, include standard formats as well as special sizes.

"Over the past years we have continuously expanded the visibility of the PLEXIGLAS brand in Southern Africa with the aim of becoming the market leader in this region," explains Holger Morhart, Business Director of Evonik Acrylics Africa.

In May 2012, to this end, Evonik entered into a joint venture with the South African plastics processor Ampaglas Plastics Group, one of the largest manufacturers of extruded plastics in Southern Africa. Since then, the partners have further expanded the distribution network under the name Evonik Acrylics Africa. Production will begin now in August at the plant in Elandsfontein.

We remind that, as MRC reported earlier, in June 2013, Evonik has launched a new generation of PVC plasticizers under the ELATUR product brand. With this strategic portfolio expansion, Evonik is consistently developing its range of sustainable plasticizers. Plasticizers from Evonik are primarily used in the plastics, automotive, and construction industry.

Evonik, the creative industrial group from Germany, is one of the world leaders in specialty chemicals. Its activities focus on the key megatrends health, nutrition, resource efficiency and globalization. Evonik benefits specifically from its innovative prowess and integrated technology platforms. Evonik is active in over 100 countries around the world. In fiscal 2012, the company generated sales of around EUR13.6 billion and an operating profit (adjusted EBITDA) of about EUR2.6 billion. The international rating agency Moody's has upgraded the credit rating of the German speciality chemicals group Evonik Industries AG from Baa3 with a positive outlook to Baa2 with a positive outlook.
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MOSCOW (MRC) -- Antipinsky Refinery CJSC will use Honeywell's Experion process knowledge system (PKS) to control plant processes and general refinery facilities as part of the third stage of construction of the Antipinsky refinery in Tyumen, Russia, said Hydrocarbonprocessing.

The commissioning of the plant will double the refinery's capacity to 7.5 million tpy, helping meet the growing demand for clean fuels and other oil products in Russia and the European Union (EU), according to Honeywell officials.

Deploying Experion PKS is part of an initiative to create a single, central operations center at the Antipinsky refinery. As an additional part of this initiative, Honeywell will supply up to 60 additional workstations to the refinery, which will be installed in the unified refinery control center.

"There is significant demand for Antipinsky refinery products, both in the region and throughout Russia and the EU," said Leonid Sorkin, general manager for Honeywell Russia. "Honeywell's advanced process automation systems will help the business grow efficiently and safely."

The new construction is part of the refinery's plan to increase its capacity of crude oil processing and to enable production of products in the next year that meet the EU quality of the Euro-5 emission standards. The project also includes the construction of a water treatment plant, sewage treatment plant, steam generation plant and other general refinery facilities.

This phase of construction is expected to be completed by the end of this year.

"Experion PKS provides a continuous and more comprehensive flow of information about refinery operations," said Alexander Rodionov, Russia sales leader for Honeywell Process Solutions. "This enables operators to spot potential problems more quickly, help them make better-informed decisions about plant operations and keep the plant running safely and efficiently."

Honeywell's four business divisions -- aerospace, automation and control solutions, performance materials and technologies, and transportation systems -- do business in Russia and offer numerous solutions that can help industries improve productivity while ensuring the safety and security of employees, customers and the local environment.

Honeywell has been working in Russia for almost 50 years and has offices in Moscow, St. Petersburg, Sakhalin, Kazan, Krasnodar, Irkutsk, Khabarovsk and Tyumen.

As MRC wrote before, OOO Kirishinefteorgsintez selected Honeywell to supply its experion process knowledge system (PKS) and advanced alarm manager system at the company"s refinery in Kirishi, in the Leningrad region of Russia.

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МOSCOW (MRC) -- UK-based PVC recycler VEKA Recycling Ltd will be joining colleagues from France and Germany at K 2013 to announce the launch of its high-quality recyclate suitable for a wide range of new PVC-U extruded products, said Recyclingportal.

Significant investment in state-of-the-art processing equipment at its Kent site means VEKA Recycling can now supply UK and European markets with PVC-U pellet and micronised (pulver) derived from post-consumer window frames.

VEKA Recycling"K 2013 gives us the perfect opportunity to introduce our recycled finished products to the market and to explore potential product options with designers, innovators and manufacturers interested in developing new sustainable solutions," explained Tony Cattini, UK Managing Director of VEKA Recycling.

"The VEKA Recycling Group has more than two decades’ recycling experience producing pelletised material that can be used in many new extrusion products, including new windows, making it a strong and reliable partner in the PVC-U industry. With our additional UK processing capacity, we’re looking to the future with great interest and expectation," added Tony Cattini.

Established in the UK since 2007 with an annual 20,000-plus tonnes recycling capacity, the Kent-based company is part of the VEKA Recycling Group, which has processing facilities in three European countries.

As MRC wrote before, Germany-based VEKA, Inc., a manufacturer of vinyl windows and doors, will add new equipment and invest more than USD6 million to expand its Fombell facility, creating 38 new jobs in Beaver County, Pennsylvania.

Founded in Germany as VekaPlast in 1967, the firm manufactures and distributes vinyl extruded PVC profiles for the window and door manufacturing industry. The company sells predominantly to the residential remodeling and new construction housing markets. VEKA also manufactures and distributes PVC fence lineals, kits and accessories to the fence and railing industry and deck lineals to the decking industry.

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