Chevron Phillips breaks ground on 2 world scale Polyethylene units for US G.

Chevron Phillips Chemical Company LP (Chevron Phillips Chemical) held its second groundbreaking ceremony for its U.S. Gulf Coast (USGC) Petrochemicals Project at the construction site in Old Ocean, Texas, said the company in its press release.

The construction includes two world-scale polyethylene units that will each produce 500,000 metric tpa of plastic resin. With this groundbreaking, Chevron Phillips Chemical maintains its first mover position within the petrochemicals industry to engineer and build world-scale ethylene and derivatives facilities in the U.S. based upon the successful development of shale resources. In addition to constructing the production facilities, 45 miles of railroad track will be installed on-site to hold and transport the output of these units.

The engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) phase of the two polyethylene units is being executed through Gulf Coast Partners, a partnership between Technip USA Inc. and Zachry Industrial.

"With the construction of this mega project, we will be in a position to better serve the growing needs of our customers around the globe. This entire project is made possible by advances in technology. First, through innovations within the E&P industry to unlock oil and gas trapped in shale rock. Second, by the research and brilliance within Chevron Phillips Chemical to develop high-performance polyethylene resins," said Peter L. Cella, president and chief executive officer of Chevron Phillips Chemical.

As MRC wrote before, Chevron Phillips Chemical announced the successful commissioning and start-up of the world’s largest on-purpose 1-hexene plant. With worldwide supply capabilities, the 1-hexene unit is capable of producing 250,000 tpy and will enjoy significant advantages in infrastructure, feedstock availability and operational knowledge by its placement in the existing Cedar Bayou chemical vomplex in Baytown, Texas.

Chevron Phillips Chemica, headquartered in The Woodlands, Texas (north of Houston), US,l is one of the world’s top producers of olefins and polyolefins and a leading supplier of aromatics, alpha olefins, styrenics, specialty chemicals, piping, and proprietary plastics. Chevron and Phillips 66 each own 50% of Chevron Phillips Chemical.
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MOSCOW (MRC) -- Valero Energy’s plan to unload as many as 70,000 bpd of oil from trains at its Benicia refinery will increase emissions across California in a "significant and unavoidable" way, said Hydrocarbonprocessing.

Valero has applied to build a rail-offloading rack at the plant northeast of San Francisco that would take oil from as many as 100 tanker cars a day. The San Antonio-based company delayed the project’s completion by a year to early 2015 as it awaits approval from the city.

"Project-related trains would generate locomotive emissions in the Bay Area Basin, the Sacramento Basin, and other locations in North America," the city of Benicia said in an environmental assessment posted on its website. "The city has no jurisdiction to impose any emission controls on the tanker car locomotives; therefore, there is no feasible mitigation available to reduce this significant impact to a less-than-significant level."

Valero is proposing the rail spur as record volumes of oil are extracted from North American shale formations that the US West Coast has little pipeline access to. California’s refiners are already bringing in the biggest-ever volumes of oil by rail as they seek to displace shrinking supplies of crude within the state and from Alaska.

A series of explosions and derailments of trains carrying crude, including one in Quebec that killed 47 people in July, touched off a flood of letters to the city of Benicia about Valero’s project and compelled the planning commission to put off a decision until an environmental study could be done.

As MRC wrote before, Valero Energy purchased a corn ethanol plant in Mount Vernon, Indiana, from Aventine Renewable Energy. The Mount Vernon plant is the 11th corn ethanol plant in Valero's system and its second in Indiana. The addition will give Valero more than 1.3 billion gal/year in ethanol production.

Valero Energy Corporation is a Fortune 500 international manufacturer and a marketer of transportation fuels, other petrochemical products, and power. It is based in San Antonio, Texas, United States. The company owns and operates 16 refineries throughout the United States, Canada, United Kingdom, and the Caribbean with a combined throughput capacity of approximately 3 million barrels (480,000 m3) per day, 10 ethanol plants with a combined production capacity of 1.2 billion US gallons (4,500,000 m3) per year.
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MOSCOW (MRC) -- PolyOne ColorMatrix, a global leader in liquid color and additives for plastics, has launched the PlanetPak liquid delivery system, the latest in its line of eco-friendly packaging solutions, helping customers reach their environmental goals, as per the company's press release.

"While traditional drums and pails often end up in landfills, the PlanetPak system is easy to dispose of and recycle," said Seth Tomasch, general manager, PolyOne ColorMatrix. "This new system also delivers up to 99% product recovery when used in conjunction with our FlexCart volumetric dosing equipment."

With a design that features a corrugated cardboard outer box, PlanetPak also includes a recyclable 25-liter (5.5 gallon) polyethylene inner liner. Easy to transport, handle and store, this packaging system improves material handling safety while still efficiently delivering the high quality colorant stored within it.

The PlanetPak’s shape means that it can be placed edge-to-edge for more effcient use of space during transport and storage, unlike cylindrical drums and pails. Once the contents have been consumed, boxes and liners are easily flattened for recycling.

As MRC reported earlier, PolyOne Corporation has recently presented its specialty portfolio for automotive interiors.
These advanced technologies, including soft-touch materials as well as colorants and special effects, enable customers to design new features that boost consumer appeal and reduce manufacturing complexity.

PolyOne Corporation, with 2013 revenues of USD3.8 billion, is a global provider of specialized polymer materials, services, and solutions. PolyOne is a provider of specialized polymer materials, services and solutions with operations in specialty polymer formulations, color and additive systems, polymer distribution and specialty vinyl resins.
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MOSCOW (MRC) -- Asian polyethylene (PE) producers have announced price increases for the CIS markets on the back of higher oil prices and strong demand from the regional market. Offer pricess for July shipments rose by USD20-30/tonne, according to ICIS-MRC Price report.

Negotiations over deals for July PE shipments from Asia began this week. Local producers announced further price increases for the CIS markets, citing rising oil prices and stable demand from the regional market.

Offer prices of blow moulding and injection moulding high density polyethylene (HDPE) started from USD1,640-1,680/tonne FOB. Deals for July shipments of black pipe grade PE100 were negotiated in the range of USD1,710-1,730/tonne, FOB.

Some market participants said that, despite rather high PE prices in Asia compared with US and Midlle Eastern prices, companies of the CIS countries had to purchase material from Asia because of limited export quantities from alternative suppliers.
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MOSCOW (MRC) -- Eastman Chemical Company, a global specialty chemical company, has announced that the Board of Directors has selected Chief Executive Officer and director Mark J. Costa to serve as Chairman of the Board, effective June 30, 2014 upon the retirement of James P. Rogers as Executive Chairman of the Board, reported the company on its site.

"Mark is a demonstrated leader, and we are pleased to have him serve as Chairman," said Stephen R. Demeritt, independent Lead Director, speaking on behalf of the Board of Directors. "We are grateful to Jim for his leadership, and have every confidence that Mark and the senior leaders will continue to execute the company’s strategy to deliver superior value and strong, consistent earnings growth."

Costa, 48, has been a director of Eastman since May 2013 and succeeded Mr. Rogers as Chief Executive Officer on January 1, 2014. He has held a number of executive positions since joining Eastman in 2006, and has been instrumental in developing Eastman’s growth strategies for its businesses. Costa has also led Eastman’s manufacturing, global supply chain, marketing, innovation, and sustainability organizations.

As MRC wrote previously, earlier this year, Eastman Chemical Company, a global specialty chemical company, enhanced its medical packaging portfolio with Eastalite copolyester, the company’s first opaque offering, which is styrene-free and can be a sustainable alternative to high-impact polystyrene (HIPS).

Eastman (headquartered in Kingsport, Tennessee, USA) is a global specialty chemical company that produces a broad range of products found in items people use every day. With a portfolio of specialty businesses, Eastman works with customers to deliver innovative products and solutions while maintaining a commitment to safety and sustainability. Its market-driven approaches take advantage of world-class technology platforms and leading positions in attractive end-markets such as transportation, building and construction, and consumables.
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