Spot TiO2 prices dropped in Ukraine

MOSCOW (MRC) -- Traders have reduced spot prices of titanium dioxide (TiO2) for the Ukrainian domestic market, following the stabilization of the national currency, according to ICIS-MRC Price report.

According to sellers, there are no acute problem with buying the dollar by importers, as it was a few weeks ago. The foreign currency exchange rate also dropped, which makes it possible to reduce prices in the local currency. Domestic demand also remained weak, therefore it is difficult to maintain prices.

Prices of US TiO2 of Dupont were heard in the range of UAH40,000-42,000/tonne CPT Kiev, including VAT. Prices reached UAH46,000/tonne CPT Kiev, including VAT (given UAH1 = USD14,6) a few weeks ago.

Prices of Chinese TiO2 grades dropped to UAH36,800-38,000/tonne CPT Kiev, including VAT, versus peak prices at UAH40,000-41,500/tonne CPT Kiev, including VAT, in late September.

Prices of Crimean Titan's TiO2 were steady. Prices for large buyers were at UAH28,500/tonne FCA Armiansk, including VAT, for 230 grade. Price of 208 grade TiO2 were at UAH29,900/tonne FCA Armiansk, including VAT. Prices of Crimean Titan's TiO2 were heard in the range of UAH30,900-31,500/tonne CPT Kiev, including VAT, for the retail market.
MRC

MOSCOW (MRC) -- Shell has become the first organization to offer a globally-available portfolio of natural gas-based fluids and solvents for the chemicals industry, said Hydrocarbonprocessing.

Its extensive supply chain, via Shell’s chemicals business hubs in Singapore, Houston and Rotterdam, makes the products available to customers across the world.

The next-generation, high-purity paraffinic fluids are made from gas-to-liquids (GTL) products manufactured at the world’s largest GTL plant -- Pearl GTL in Qatar, a joint venture of Shell and Qatar Petroleum.

They boast qualities that can enhance performance over conventional products in the market.

While demand is still expected from "traditional" segments, such as paints and coatings, personal care, cosmetics, and inks, it is increasing in a wide range of other end-uses, such as water treatment, crop protection, oilfield chemicals, mining, industrial cleaning and consumer goods.

Shell has been using upstream and downstream gas to manufacture a range of petrochemicals at its key facilities in the UK, US, Canada and Saudi Arabia, according to company officials.

This latest offering is yet another way that Shell uses gas -- instead of crude oil -- as a feedstock to make and supply building-block petrochemicals. Access to gas feedstock from its upstream and downstream businesses is a competitive advantage that Shell says its chemicals business gets from being part of an integrated energy company.

Based on the proprietary Shell Middle Distillates Synthesis technology, the GTL fluids and solvents offer enhanced performance over conventional products in a number of applications, according to company officials. Besides their high purity, low odor and more stable and consistent composition, the new range of GTL fluids and solvents are designed to be readily biodegradable. This range is also designed to result in very low ozone formation potential.

As MRC informed earlier, Shell announced in mid-November 2013 that it will upgrade its petrochemical plant in Singapore to meet rising demand for ethylene in Asia. The upgrade will increase the plant's capacity to produce olefins and aromatics industrial chemicals used to make plastic, paint and other products by more than 20%. The upgrade will take place during the next maintenance turn-around of the ethylene cracker.

Royal Dutch Shell plc is an Anglo-Dutch multinational oil and gas company headquartered in The Hague, Netherlands and with its registered office in London, United Kingdom. It is the biggest company in the world in terms of revenue and one of the six oil and gas "supermajors". Shell is vertically integrated and is active in every area of the oil and gas industry, including exploration and production, refining, distribution and marketing, petrochemicals, power generation and trading.
MRC

MOSCOW (MRC) -- Rosneft and Chinese National Petroleum Corporation (CNPC) signed an agreement for the extensions of strategic cooperation, said Hydrocarbonprocessing.

The document was signed by Rosneft Head Igor Sechin and CNPC V.P. Wang Dongjin. The signing ceremony was led by the Prime Minister of the Russian Federation Dmitry Medvedev.

The agreement envisages elaboration of current and potential strategic cooperation areas. The document also foresees the fueling of a deeper collaboration in these areas. In particular, the parties intend to proceed with Upstream projects in the Russia, refining in China (Tianjin Refinery) and other venues of cooperation. In March 2016, the parties are expected to make an investment decision regarding the Tianjin Refinery construction which may be completed by the end of 2019.

The parties intend to apply joint efforts with the scope of further expansion of strategic cooperation, including in the areas of the development of LNG projects which embraces potential Russian LNG supplies to China.

After signing the agreement, Igor Sechin said "Russia and China are interested in deepening and expanding cooperation in the oil and gas sector. Our companies have created a favorable environment for cooperation and we intend to further promote long-term mutually beneficial collaboration".

As MRC wrote before, Rosneft wants its Chinese partners in on a project to build a polymer plant in the far eastern city of Nakhodka. The tentative deal is in exchange for RosneftпїЅs participation in the construction of the Tianjin oil refinery, a joint project with China National Petroleum Corporation (CNPC).

Rosneft became Russia's largest publicly traded oil company in March 2013 after the USD55 billion takeover of TNK-BP, which was RussiaпїЅs third-largest oil producer at the time.

mrcplast.com

MOSCOW (MRC) -- Jiangsu Hongxin Chemicals has restarted a dicotyl phthalate (DOP) plant, as per Apic-online.

A Polymerupdate source in China informed that the plant restarted on October 11, 2014. It was shut on September 30, 2014 on account of the national holidays in China during 1-7 October.

Located at Nantong in Jiangsu province, China, the plant has a production capacity of 120,000 mt/year.

As MRC wrote before, China's Zhejiang Weibo Chemicals shut down its DOP plant in China for a maintenance turnaround on July 2, 2014. The duration of the closure could not be ascertained. Located at Jiaxing in Zhejiang province of China, the plant has a production capacity of 100,000 mt/year.
MRC

MOSCOW (MRC) - Consumption of polycarbonate (PC) for blowing bottles in Russia decreased to 2,200 tonnes in the first nine months, down 11% year on year, according to MRC DataScope report.

Asian material occurred for the biggest share of blow moulding PC consumption in Russia. The current situation in the Asian PC market is that producers faced with critical low margins due to the rising cost of feedstock. In this regard, they had to raise prices for the domestic and foreign market.

Despite the gradual decrease in the feedstock prices (acetone, Bisphenol, phenol) in October, producers have not covered previously incurred losses. At the beginning of October, prices of shipments at the ports of China were as follows: acetone - USD1,060-1,070/tonne, phenol - USD1,480-1,560/tonne, Bisphenol A - USD1,900-1,980/tonne. Prices for PC remained steady in the range of USD2,550-2,750/tonne, CIF China.

Domestic prices for Asian PC in Russia continued to rise on the rouble devaluation. In the ports of the Russian Federation in the East PC prices were heard in the range of USD2,730-USD2,770/tonne, excluding VAT. Converters reported a significant decrease in margins and were going to reduce PC consumption in the end of the year.

Given the current market trend Russia's PC consumption is likely to continue to shrink next year.
MRC