Indorama Ventures Louisiana ethane cracker refurbishment ahead of schedule

MOSCOW (MRC) -- Indorama Ventures’ majority-owned Lake Charles, Louisiana gas cracker received an air permit from US authorities, signifying an important step forward in maintaining the plant’s startup schedule, reported Hydrocarbonprocessing.

The air permit, which is the main environmental permit required by the company to proceed with the refurbishment of the cracker, allows the project to commence repair and construction activities a month ahead of the original target date.

Ethylene from the cracker will feed the production of MEG (monoethylene glycol), which is used to make PET (polyethylene terephthalate). When complete, Indorama Ventures will become one of the most vertically integrated PET producers in North America.

The project received a water permit in June that allows the facility to discharge liquid effluent through its waste-water treatment plant. The project has also completed de-bottlenecking-related engineering and has ordered all its major long-lead-time equipment. Mechanical completion is expected in the third quarter of 2017 on schedule, followed by commissioning and startup in the fourth quarter of 2017.

As MRC reported earlier, in early 2016, BP PLC sold its petrochemical complex in Decatur, Alabama, to Indorama Ventures Public Co. Ltd. (IVL.TH), for an undisclosed sum, as part BP's plan to restructure its global petrochemicals business. The Decatur complex makes chemicals essential for the production of thousands of items, from plastic water bottles to flat-screen televisions. Located on 1,000 acres in Northern Alabama, the complex can produce one million tons per year of PTA, as well as paraxylene (PX), a raw material for PTA production. The site also is the world’s only commercial manufacturer of naphthalene dicarboxylate (NDC), a specialty chemical used in new-generation polyesters and resins used to make LCD flat-panel displays, ultra-thin data storage tape and other products.

Indorama Ventures is a leading producer in the polyester value chain in Thailand with strong global network and manufacturing across Asia, Europe and North America. Its products serve major players in diversified end use markets, including food, beverages, personal and home care, health care, automotives, textile, and industrial. The company’s main products are PTA, PET and polyester fibre, which are distributed across the world.
MRC

MOSCOW (MRC) -- Indorama Ventures Public Company Limited ("IVL") would like to inform the merger of two of its indirect subsidiaries in Germany, said 4-traders.

PHP Overseas Investments GmbH, a non-operating entity has merged into PHP Fibers GmbH, an operating Fibers business entity. The new merged entity will be known as PHP Fibers GmbH. There is no impact on the business operation of the Company.

As MRC informed earlier, Indorama Ventures’ majority-owned Lake Charles, Louisiana gas cracker received an air permit from US authorities, signifying an important step forward in maintaining the plant’s startup schedule. The air permit, which is the main environmental permit required by the company to proceed with the refurbishment of the cracker, allows the project to commence repair and construction activities a month ahead of the original target date.

Indorama Ventures is a leading producer in the polyester value chain in Thailand with strong global network and manufacturing across Asia, Europe and North America. Its products serve major players in diversified end use markets, including food, beverages, personal and home care, health care, automotives, textile, and industrial. The company’s main products are PTA, PET and polyester fibre, which are distributed across the world.
MRC

MOSCOW (MRC) -- Mallard Creek Polymers, Inc. (MCP) has appointed Azelis Canada Inc., an Azelis Americas company; as their distributor of synthetic emulsion polymers across Eastern Canada effective September 1st, 2016, said Coatingsworld.

The MCP line of synthetic emulsion polymers will be marketed and supported through the C.A.S.E division (Coatings, Adhesives, Sealants, and Elastomers) of Azelis Canada, expanding the current product offering of specialty water-based resin technology to these industry segments as well as other applications in the Construction, Specialty Textiles, Printing and Packaging markets.

The business aligns well with Azelis Canada’s product portfolio and builds on their capabilities and solutions that are currently provided to manufacturers across Canada. The additional product line includes the Rovene, BarrierPro, Tykote, and Tylac brands of carboxylated and non-carboxylated styrene butadiene latex, acrylics, nitriles, and vinyl acetate copolymer latexes. MCP has a long standing business model as a technology driven company focused on customer needs.

Azelis Canada with it’s over 70 year history servicing the Canadian manufacturing market is excited about representing the new line of products and creating lasting value for our clients and suppliers as we grow stronger together.

As MRC informed earlier, Azelis has been appointed by Evonik Industries as distributor for the Aerosil and Sipernat ranges of silica products to the Food, Personal Care, and Pharma Industries in Denmark, Sweden, Norway, and Iceland. Azelis currently has operations in Australia, China, Hong Kong, India, Japan, Malaysia, New Zealand, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.

Azelis Chemicals is a leading European distributor of speciality and commodity chemicals, with a comprehensive portfolio of innovative products for high-tech solutions. The company source high quality products from leading global manufacturers, supporting customers in diverse markets including chemical producers and pharmaceuticals, I&I/household and cleaning, lubricants/metal working fluids, paper, agrochemicals, textile and leather, water treatment, building, wood preservation, agriculture & horticulture, electronics and salts.
MRC

MOSCOW (MRC) -- Jacobs Engineering Group Inc. announced it acquired the patent rights for BAYQIK quasi-isothermal sulfuric acid converter technology and other related technology from Bayer AG, said Jacobs on its site.

Under the terms of the agreement, the technology transfer includes all relevant Bayer technical, commercial and market information. In addition, Bayer is providing transitional services to help ensure a seamless transfer of the BAYQIK business. Terms of the transaction will not be disclosed.

BAYQIK technology enables more efficient conversion of process gas with high SO2 concentrations. Bayer developed, piloted and commercialized the technology over the past 10 years. A full-scale installation based on the technology has operated successfully for seven years.

Commenting on the announcement, Jacobs President Petroleum and Chemicals Gary Mandel said the acquisition complements Jacobs’ existing sulfuric acid technology portfolio, enabling the company to provide state-of-the-art technology to both the low strength and high strength SO2 market segments.

"This acquisition is an exciting development for our Chemetics process technology solutions business and our process industry clients," said Mandel. "BAYQIK is proven to be a superior and more flexible option for processing high strength SO2 gas, a growing requirement for clients in the non-ferrous metallurgical acid plant market.

"We’re thrilled to add this robust technology to our sulfuric acid technology portfolio and offer this capability to clients by leveraging the global reach of Jacobs’ network."

As MRC informed earlier, Jacobs Engineering Group Inc. was selected by ExxonMobil to perform engineering, procurement and construction management (EPCM) services for its Crude Flexibility Engineering and Construction Project at the ExxonMobil Refinery in Beaumont, Texas.

Jacobs is one of the world’s largest and most diverse providers of full-spectrum technical, professional and construction services for industrial, commercial and government organizations globally. The company employs 50,000 people and operates in more than 30 countries around the world.
MRC

MOSCOW (MRC) -- Phillips 66 cut production by roughly 5% at its 238 Mbpd refinery in Linden, New Jersey, amid weak refining margins, according to a source familiar with the plant's operations, said Hydrocarbonprocessing.

Phillips 66 joins Monroe Energy's 185 Mbpd refinery in Trainer, Pennsylvania, in making economic run cuts on the East Coast. Monroe Energy, a subsidiary of Delta Air Lines, continues to run the refinery at roughly 150 Mbpd following run cuts that began in July.

The US gasoline crack spread, an indicator of how much refiners make from converting a barrel of oil into a barrel of gasoline, remains at its lowest level in the past five years. The US diesel crack spread also remains at five-year lows.

US and global refining margins have been hurt by historically high gasoline and diesel inventories. Refining executives and analysts across the globe are predicting refiners are going to be forced to scale back production to reduce inventories, balance the market and boost margins.

East Coast refineries see some of the weakest margins due in part to their supply constraints, and experts predict they would be among the first to cut runs.

Philadelphia Energy Solutions, the largest East Coast refinery, is currently running at full capacity, a source told Reuters Tuesday. It was not immediately known whether PBF Energy made cuts at either of its East Coast refineries, one in Delaware City, Delaware and the other in Paulsboro, New Jersey.

PBF plans on shutting down the 55 Mbpd gasoline-making unit at its Paulsboro refinery in mid-September for up to eight weeks of planned work.

As MRC informed earlier, Phillips 66 decided to delay a planned maintenance on a sulfur recovery unit (SRU) that was scheduled for Friday at its 146,000 barrel-per-day Borger, Texas, refinery.

Phillips 66 is an American multinational energy company headquartered in Westchase, Houston, Texas. It debuted as an independent energy company when ConocoPhillips spun off its downstream assets and midstream assets. Phillips 66 began trading on the New York Stock Exchange on May 1, 2012, under the ticker PSX. The company is engaged in producing natural gas liquids (NGL) and petrochemicals.
MRC