Sinopec to build 1 mt/year crude-to-olefin plant based on advanced technology

MOSCOW (MRC) -- China's Sinopec Corp said on Wednesday it plans to build a 1-MMtpy crude-to-olefin plant, having completed successful trial processing crude oil directly into olefin at its subsidiary plant in Tianjin, without giving further details, reported Reuters.

Thus, the top Asian refiner is one of the world's few companies that have applied the technology at an industrial scale. ExxonMobil is another firm equipped with such technology, Sinopec said.

With a yield of close to 50%, the manufacturing process cuts significantly production cost as well as CO2 emissions, compared with the traditional approach of refining crude into intermediate fuels which are further processed into olefin, Sinopec added.

Olefin - mainly ethylene and propylene - is the key building block for making petrochemicals such as plastics and synthetic fibre.

China, the world's largest emitter of green house gases, is expected to cap its primary crude oil refining capacity at 1 B tons annually by 2025 (20 MMbpd), under a national goal to hit carbon emission peak before 2030. But it remains short of petrochemicals such as plastics and synthetic fibre.

As MRC informed before, in August, 2021, Sinopec, the world's petrochemical major, launched the first phase of the Gulei refining complex in Zhangzhou city in China’s southeastern Fujian province. The refining complex, a 50:50 joint venture between Sinopec’s Fujian Petrochemical Company Ltd and Taiwan Xuteng Investment Company Ltd, invested 27.8 billion yuan (USD4.28 billion) in the first phase. That will result in an 800,000 tonnes per annum ethylene plant, a 600,000 tonnes per annum styrene unit and seven other downstream petrochemical units, Sinopec said.

Ethylene and propylene are the main feedstocks for the production of polyethylene (PE) and polypropylene (PP), respectively.

According to MRC's ScanPlast report, Russia's estimated PE consumption totalled 1,868,160 tonnes in the first nine months of 2021, up by 18% year on year. Shipments of all grades of ethylene polymers increased. At the same time, PP shipments to the Russian market were 1,138,510 tonnes in January-September 2021, up by 30% year on year. Supply of propylene homopolymer (homopolymer PP) and block-copolymers of propylene (PP block copolymers) increased, whereas supply of injection moulding statistical copolymers of propylene (PP random copolymers) decreased significantly.

China Petrochemical Corporation (Sinopec Group) is a super-large petroleum and petrochemical enterprise group established in July 1998 on the basis of the former China Petrochemical Corporation. Sinopec Group's key business activities include the exploration and production of oil and natural gas, petrochemicals and other chemical products, oil refining.
MRC

MOSCOW (MRC) -- Lummus Technology announced an award for a C4 acetylenes selective hydrogenation unit (AHU) from Korea Petrochemical Ind. Co. Ltd. (KPIC). The unit will be part of an expansion to KPIC’s Onsan Chemical Plant in Ulsan, Republic of Korea, according to Hydrocarbonprocessing.

“With this additional technology award, Lummus will play an integral role in helping KPIC’s investments become more efficient and productive while reducing their waste streams,” said Leon de Bruyn, President and Chief Executive Officer of Lummus Technology. “As the licensor of the existing technologies at KPIC’s site, we can readily integrate this add-on technology to the existing facility and successfully execute this project.”

“KPIC is excited to further strengthen its decades-long relationship with Lummus by licensing this additional unit,” said KPIC. “Making the investment to convert this waste stream into higher value products is a perfect example of KPIC’s ongoing commitment to sustainability and environmental management.”

Once complete, the plant will process 37,000 MTA of feed to the AHU, leading to higher production rates of valuable butadiene and raffinate products. The installation of the new unit will prevent the burning of the byproduct stream as fuel, which in turn, results in lower emissions at the Onsan Chemical Plant. The unit will upgrade a byproduct waste stream by selectively hydrogenating C4 acetylenes to produce larger quantities of butadiene and raffinate products. These products will be used to produce rubber and supply KPIC’s olefins conversion unit.

Lummus’ project scope for this award includes license and basic engineering for the Lummus/BASF SELOP C4 acetylene selective hydrogenation technology. The BASF SELOP process is licensed by Lummus for C4 and C5 selective hydrogenation.

As MRC wrote before, earlier this month, Lummus Technology announced that it had executed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Braskem Netherlands B.V., a subsidiary of Braskem, the largest biopolymer producer in the world. The MOU is for the licensing of Braskem's green ethylene technology for two ethanol to ethylene conversion projects under development in North America and Asia, signaling a global interest in the technology.

Ethylene is the main feedstock for the production of polyethylene (PE).

According to MRC's ScanPlast report, Russia's estimated PE consumption totalled 1,868,160 tonnes in the first nine months of 2021, up by 18% year on year. Shipments of all grades of ethylene polymers increased.

Lummus Technology is the global leader in developing process technologies that make modern life possible and focus on a more sustainable, low carbon future. Lummus is a master licensor of clean energy, petrochemical, refining, gas processing and renewable technologies, and a supplier of catalysts, proprietary equipment, digitalization and related lifecycle services to customers worldwide.
MRC

MOSCOW (MRC) -- Packaging company Sonoco has expanded the post-consumer recovery and recycling possibilities for its EnviroCan paper containers in the US, said Packaging-gataway.

The announcement comes after Sonoco confirmed that all its US paper mills will accept rigid paper cans in mixed paper bales from residential Material Recovery Facilities (MRFs). Sonoco operates ten mills in various states including Wisconsin, Tennessee, California, South Carolina, Massachusetts, Virginia, Washington and Kansas.

The mills will use this mixed paper to manufacture 100% paperboard, with up to 85% post-consumer fibre. Sonoco sustainability staff vice-president Elizabeth Rhue said: “Sonoco is uniquely positioned as a leading recycler, paper mill operator and paper packaging converter to help grow end of life solutions across not only our consumer and industrial packaging platforms but across the paper industry.

“After validating that our mills could recycle EnviroCan factory scrap, we are now taking the lead to further demonstrate the ability to recycle our paper containers with metal ends not only through the steel stream, as it is largely done today, but also through the post-consumer mixed paper stream.” This collaboration highlights Sonoco’s capability for recycling and processing fibre-based packaging through conventional paper mill pulping systems.

It also aligns with the company’s commitment to responsible material sourcing and supporting material circularity.
Rhue added: “If a consumer recycles an EnviroCan paper container and it is sorted into the mixed paper stream, the cans can now be sent to our mills to be turned into a number of new fibre products, including new EnviroCan containers.”

In September, Sonoco partnered with technology start-up AMP Robotics to make spiral wound paper canisters with steel bottoms more widely recyclable. Last week, the company reported USD1.42bn net sales for the third quarter of 2021, up 7.8% from last year period. It attributed the increase to improvement in volume/mix and higher selling prices.

According to MRC's ScanPlast report, Russia's estimated PE consumption totalled 1,868,160 tonnes in the first nine months of 2021, up by 18% year on year. Shipments of all grades of ethylene polymers increased. At the same time, PP shipments to the Russian market were 1,138,510 tonnes in January-September 2021, up by 30% year on year. Supply of propylene homopolymer (homopolymer PP) and block-copolymers of propylene (PP block copolymers) increased, whereas supply of injection moulding statistical copolymers of propylene (PP random copolymers) decreased significantly.

Founded in 1899, Sonoco is a global provider of a variety of consumer packaging, industrial products, protective packaging, and displays and packaging supply chain services. With annualized net sales of approximately USD5 billion, the Company has 21,000 employees working in more than 300 operations in 33 countries, serving some of the world’s best known brands in some 85 nations. With a purpose focused on Better Packaging. Better Life., Sonoco ranked first in the Packaging sector on Fortune’s World’s Most Admired Companies 2018 list.
MRC

MOSCOW (MRC) -- Honeywell revealed SK Innovation and Energy, a Korea-based energy refining company, has selected Honeywell UOP for a feasibility study to retrofit SK’s hydrogen plant with carbon capture, said Hydrocarbonprocessing.

SK will explore capturing and sequestering 400,000 t of CO2 from existing hydrogen production assets at its refinery in Ulsan, Korea using a range of Honeywell UOP technologies. The CO2 will be re-injected into depleted natural gas reservoirs, beginning in 2026.

"We selected Honeywell UOP for this feasibility study because of their multiple proven cost-effective technologies for the capture of CO2 and hydrogen purification that will assist in reducing greenhouse gas emissions,” said Seonjun Lee, head of Institute of Environmental Science & Technology of SK Innovation. “This project falls in line with the carbon neutrality initiative that South Korea has pledged to achieve by 2050."

"With the global demand for hydrogen expected to grow significantly within the next decade, hydrogen producers need a low-cost carbon capture system to help them meet their sustainability goals," said Ben Owens, vice president and general manager, Honeywell Sustainable Technology Solutions. "Honeywell UOP is uniquely positioned for this feasibility study as our multiple technology offerings for carbon capture based on solvents, membranes, cryogenics, and pressure swing adsorption (PSA) systems can be optimized to meet the project needs."

As per MRC, Honeywell has announced the expansion of its facility in Baton Rouge, La. to double the capacity of its Solstice ze (1234ze), an ultra-low-global-warming-potential (GWP) solution. Solstice ze is used in foam insulation, as a propellant in personal and household care products, and in refrigeration and air conditioning applications.

Ethylene and propylene are the main feedstocks for the production of polyethylene (PE) and polypropylene (PP), respectively.

According to MRC's ScanPlast report, Russia's estimated PE consumption totalled 1,868,160 tonnes in the first nine months of 2021, up by 18% year on year. Shipments of all grades of ethylene polymers increased. At the same time, PP shipments to the Russian market were 1,138,510 tonnes in January-September 2021, up by 30% year on year. Supply of propylene homopolymer (homopolymer PP) and block-copolymers of propylene (PP block copolymers) increased, whereas supply of injection moulding statistical copolymers of propylene (PP random copolymers) decreased significantly.
MRC

MOSCOW (MRC) -- Green Fuel and Haldor Topsoe have signed an MOU which will see the companies partnering to identify efficient and scalable technologies for the production of green ammonia in Iceland, said Hydrocarbonprocessing.

The agreement also enables the two companies to explore other business opportunities within green ammonia. Green ammonia will be vital for the decarbonization of hard-to-abate industries such as shipping, heavy goods transport and agriculture.

Topsoe and Green Fuels are both already active in developing green solutions to help combat the climate challenge. The two parties are now collaborating to develop viable and efficient solutions, which could serve to establish Icelandic production of green ammonia.

“Iceland offers large-scale volumes of the renewable power needed from its vast hydro and geothermal resources, and we see an exciting potential for the production of clean fuels,” said Tore Sylvester Jeppesen, Senior Vice President at Topsoe.

As part of its plan to produce green ammonia and green hydrogen in Iceland, Green Fuel has also secured an LOI to operate at Bakki Eco-Industrial Park in northeast Iceland.

As per MRC, Dow (Midland, Michigan), the world's petrochemical major, and Haldor Topsoe have partnered to promote the circular economy. About 300 million tons of plastic waste is produced every year on a global scale. The partnership between Dow and Topsoe marks a new initiative to efficiently convert waste plastics to circular plastics, keeping them out of the environment and responsibly reclaiming their value. Plans include Dow to proceed with the design and engineering for a 10,000 ton per year market development unit using Haldor Topsoe’s PureStepTM technology to purify pyrolysis oil feedstock derived from waste plastics for use in circular products.

According to MRC's ScanPlast report, Russia's estimated PE consumption totalled 1,396,960 tonnes in January-July 2021, up by 7% year on year. Shipments of all grades of ethylene polymers increased. At the same time, PP shipments to the Russian market were 841,990 tonnes in the first seven months of 2021, up by 29% year on year. Supply of propylene homopolymers (homopolymer PP) and block-copolymers of propylene (PP block copolymers) increased, whereas supply of statistical copolymers of propylene (PP random copolymers) subsided.

MRC