PP imports to Kazakhstan dropped by 1% in the first seven months of 2016

MOSCOW (MRC) -- Imports of polypropylene (PP) into Kazakhstan decreased in the first seven months of 2016 by 1% year on year to about 13,100 tonnes, reported MRC analysts.

July 2016 PP imports to Kazakhstan fell to 1,200 tonnes from 1,900 tonnes a month earlier. Producers of polypropylene bags (PP-bags) reduced their PP imports. Overall PP imports totalled 13,100 tonnes in January-July 2016, compared to 13,300 tonnes a year earlier.

The structure of PP imports by grades looked the following way over the stated period.

July imports of propylene homopolymer (homopolymer PP) into Kazakhstan fell almost twice to 700 tonnes from 1,300 tonnes a month earlier. Local PP-bags producers reduced their procurement volumes. Overall imports of homopolymer PP exceeded 10,400 tonnes in January-July 2016, compared to 9,900 tonnes a year earlier.

July purchases of propylene copolymers by local companieshave remained at the level of June, totalling about 600 tonnes. Pipes producers continued to show strong demand. Overall imports of propylene copolymers to Kazakhstan were slightly over 2,700 tonnes in the stated period versus 3,400 tonnes a year earlier.
MRC

No damage, injuries reported in Iran petrochemical fire

MOSCOW (MRC) -- A fire broke out at the Bu Ali Sina petrochemical refinery on 31 August, said Reuters, citing the Tasnim news agency.

No reason was given for the cause of the fire at the oil complex, which is in the southwest city of Bandar Mahshahr, nor did Tasnim say how much damage it had caused.

The same complex caught fire in early July and one of the tanks was destroyed, according to Tasnim.
MRC

Honeywell UOP introduces expanded range of hydrotreating catalysts

MOSCOW (MRC) -- Honeywell UOP has expanded its portfolio of hydrotreating catalysts, which are used to remove impurities and contaminants from petroleum and other refining feedstocks to produce cleaner-burning gasoline and diesel that meet new global emissions regulations, said Hydrocarbonprocessing.

Hydrotreating is a critical step in the refining process. Hydrogen and proprietary catalysts are used to pre-treat petroleum and other products to remove sulfur, nitrogen, metals and other contaminants before conversion into transportation fuels.

This refining process helps produce cleaner-burning gasoline and diesel that meets increasingly stringent global fuel regulations—including Euro 5, China 5, and in India, BS-6—all of which specify a sulfur content of less than 10 ppm in transportation fuels.

The company’s new offerings include more than two dozen hydrotreating catalysts for applications that include:
• Hydrocracking and fluid catalytic cracking (FCC) pre-treat
• Diesel and kerosine hydrotreating
• Coker naphtha hydrotreating.

Honeywell UOP said it also offers catalysts for naphtha hydrotreating, as well as FCC gasoline desulfurization. The new catalysts will be produced at Honeywell UOP’s production facility in Shreveport, Louisiana, which inaugurated new and upgraded catalyst production facilities in June.

With the introduction of the new catalysts, Honeywell UOP is ending an alliance with Albemarle that began in 2006 when the two companies partnered to provide hydroprocessing technologies. While the alliance was a success for both companies, Honeywell UOP now will apply its expertise in catalytic chemistry to compete across a wide range of hydroprocessing technologies, while completing work started with Albemarle on projects initiated under the alliance.

As MRC informed earlier, Honeywell said that it has entered into a supply agreement with Juhua Corp. (Hangzhou, China), a leading fluorochemicals company in China, to manufacture Honeywell Solstice yf, Honeywell’s brand of the refrigerant gas HFO-1234yf. Juhua, under a multi-year agreement, will manufacture Solstice yf in China for Honeywell, and Honeywell will market and sell the product to customers in the United States and Europe. Production is expected to begin by the end of 2016.

Honeywell Performance Materials and Technologies (PMT) is a global leader in developing advanced materials, process technologies and automation solutions. PMT's Advanced Materials businesses manufacture a wide variety of high-performance products, including environmentally friendlier refrigerants and materials used to manufacture end products such as bullet-resistant armor, nylon, computer chips and pharmaceutical packaging. Process technologies developed by PMT's UOP business form the foundation for most of the world's refiners, efficiently producing gasoline, diesel, jet fuel.
MRC

Saudi Aramco and partners CAN-15 recognized with JPI award

МOSCOW (MRC) -- Saudi Aramco and its Research and Development (R&D) collaboration partner, JGC Catalysts and Chemicals - a leading catalyst developer and manufacturer in Japan — have been awarded the 2015 International Technology Exchange Award by the Japan Petroleum Institute (JPI), said the producer on its site.

Each year, JPI honors the best scientists, projects and institutions. Recognized in Japan and worldwide for the quality they represent, the JPI awards, including Best Society, Best Paper, Best Technology Progress, Best Incentive Project, and International Technology Exchange Awards, appreciate the scientific contributions made in petroleum and relevant fields.

During a visit to Japan to attend the Saudi Aramco and JCCP joint symposium on "Unlocking the Potential of Fuel to Enable Energy Savings and Emissions Reductions," which was held in Tokyo, Saudi Aramco chief technology officer Ahmad O. Al Khowaiter received the JPI International Technology Exchange Award on behalf of the company.

"I am extremely pleased with the work we’ve done on CAN-15, creating a catalyst that’s the first of its kind," said Al Khowaiter. "I look forward to the many commercialization opportunities this technology will avail.", he said.

The winning technology “Hydrocracking Catalyst for Heavy Oil Mixed with Deasphalted Oil” was developed jointly between Saudi Aramco R&DC (Oil Upgrading R&D Division) and JGC Catalysts and Chemicals Ltd., with the support of Japan Cooperation Center Petroleum (JCCP).

The collaboration began in 2007 to develop a catalyst system for the Riyadh Refinery hydrocracking unit, targeting extended catalyst life while increasing or maintaining distillate yields and quality. The R&D phase of the project was completed in 2010, with four of more than 80 potential catalysts developed and identified for scaleup and commercialization. The developed catalyst, Novel Heavy Oil Hydrocracking Catalyst (CAN-15), was deployed at the Riyadh Refinery hydrocracking unit. It has been in operation for two years, and its performance exceeded expectations yielding additional valuable distillate volumes.

As MRC informed earlier, British oilfield services company Petrofac and Spain's Tecnicas Reunidas are likely to win contracts to build projects for state oil giant Saudi Aramco's Uthmaniyah and Ras Tanura plants. Tecnicas Reunidas is the lowest bidder to build units for a cleaner fuels project at Ras Tanura refinery, originally estimated to cost more than USD2 B, aimed at removing sulfur from refined oil products.

Saudi Aramco, officially the Saudi Arabian Oil Company, is a Saudi Arabian national oil and natural gas company based in Dhahran, Saudi Arabia. Saudi Aramco's value has been estimated at up to USD10 trillion in the Financial Times, making it the world's most valuable company. Saudi Aramco has both the largest proven crude oil reserves, at more than 260 billion barrels, and largest daily oil production.
MRC

LANXESS completes acquisition of US Chemours disinfectants business

MOSCOW (MRC) -- Specialty chemicals company LANXESS closed the acquisition of the Clean and Disinfect business of U.S.-based chemicals company Chemours on August 31, 2016, said the company on its site.

All relevant antitrust authorities have approved the transaction. LANXESS has paid around EUR 210 million for the Clean and Disinfect business, which comprises various active ingredients and specialty chemicals especially for disinfection and hygiene solutions. The company has financed this first post-realignment acquisition from existing liquidity.

"The acquisition is the first milestone on our path of growth and a further step toward strengthening our business in North America," said Matthias Zachert, Chairman of the Board of Management of LANXESS AG. "The successful integration of the new business now has absolute priority so we can quickly benefit from this expansion of our specialty chemicals portfolio."

The acquisition will be accretive to the company’s earnings per share (EPS) in the first fiscal year. The acquired business is expected to deliver an annual EBITDA contribution of around EUR 20 million, which will be gradually increased by synergy effects to about EUR 30 million by 2020.

The new business is to be integrated into LANXESS’ Material Protection Products business unit, not only expanding its active ingredients portfolio but also extending the value chain in the veterinary disinfection segment through to the end market. The acquired business has three production sites in Memphis and North Kingstown in the United States and Sudbury in the United Kingdom. It achieved 2015 sales of around EUR 100 million, with about half accounted for by the United States. The business comprises three product lines: disinfectants, potassium monopersulfate and chlorine dioxide.

The disinfectants are marketed for biosecurity applications in the veterinary segment. The core product brand is Virkon S, the world’s leading powder disinfectant with proven performance against a broad range of viruses, bacteria and fungi. It is used, for example, to combat Foot-and-Mouth disease and Avian Influenza.

The second segment focuses on the production and marketing active ingredient potassium monopersulfate with its core brand Oxone. It is used in pool and spa applications, personal hygiene products and electronics applications and as active ingredient in the formulation of disinfection products, especially in Virkon branded products.

Thirdly, chlorine dioxide is a proven package solution provider for industrial water treatment applications.

As MRC informed earlier, Lanxess’ Rhein Chemie Additives (ADD) business unit has expanded it extensive portfolio of flame retardants by introducing a new one - Levagard TP LXS 51114. The new flame retardant Levagard TP LXS 51114 is characterised by low emissions (fogging) and low scorch. It is suitable among other things for use in polyether- and polyester-based flexible polyurethane foams.

LANXESS is a leading specialty chemicals company with sales of EUR 8.0 billion in 2014 and about 16,600 employees in 29 countries. The company is currently represented at 52 production sites worldwide. The core business of Lanxess is the development, manufacturing and marketing of plastics, rubber, intermediates and specialty chemicals.
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