Mitsubishi Chemical and Agilyx announce trial results for advanced recycling collaboration

Mitsubishi Chemical and Agilyx announce trial results for advanced recycling collaboration

MOSCOW (MRC) -- Mitsubishi Chemical Methacrylates (MCM) and partner, Agilyx Corporation, a wholly owned subsidiary of Agilyx, announced the successful results of a full-scale production trial for polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA; commonly called acrylic) depolymerization at Agilyx’s facility in Tigard, Oregon, said the company.

The full-scale trial, conducted in August 2021, returned results consistent with the successful results of a laboratory-scale trial conducted in 2020. A mixed feedstock included both cast and extruded PMMA sheet, and the effects of different temperature settings were analyzed to find the optimal conditions for PMMA pyrolysis. Following the successful plant trial, experts from MCM and Agilyx met to build an action plan that sets out the required next steps.

“The results at full production scale are very encouraging,” said David Smith, circular economy program lead, Mitsubishi Chemical Methacrylates. “The teams at both MCM and Agilyx worked very well together, and all parties are excited at the prospect of building a new PMMA depolymerization plant using Agilyx technology."

"The results of our PMMA trials in Tigard have been very positive,” stated Carsten Larsen, CCO of Agilyx. “We’ve proven that Agilyx technology is capable of turning PMMA back into its original monomer, MMA, creating a truly circular material. We’re excited to continue our collaboration with Mitsubishi Chemical Methacrylates."

The crude MMA produced during the plant trial is currently being distilled at MCM’s pilot plant in Wilton, England and will be used both for internal product development and to validate the purification solution that will be used in this process.

As per MRC, Mitsubishi Corp and Shell Canada Products, by its managing partner, Shell Canada Limited (Shell Canada) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) relating to the production of low-carbon hydrogen through the use of carbon capture and storage (CCS) near Edmonton, Canada.

As per ICIS-MRC Price Report, deals on December shipments of suspension polyvinyl chloride (SPVC) to the CIS markets were held in the range of EUR1,650-1,710/tonne FCA, which practically corresponds to the November level.

Mitsubishi Chemical Methacrylates (MCM) is the global Methacrylates Division of Mitsubishi Chemical and the world’s largest producer of methyl-methacrylate (MMA). With manufacturing sites, sales offices and distribution networks throughout Asia, the Americas and Europe, MCM creates products that improve the quality of life around the world, every single day.
MRC

Saudi Aramco and Chevron Lummus Global to co-develop Aramco HOPI+ technology

Saudi Aramco and Chevron Lummus Global to co-develop Aramco HOPI+ technology

MOSCOW (MRC) -- Chevron Lummus Global LLC (CLG) and Saudi Aramco announced that they have signed a joint collaboration and license agreement to co-develop and license Saudi Aramco's Heavy Oil Processing Initiative (HOPI+) technology, according to Hydrocarbonprocessing.

HOPI+ aims to achieve relatively higher conversion of vacuum residue and other available heavy feeds, including incremental crude, using CLG's LC-FINING platform (jointly referred to as LC-HOPI+). The LC-HOPI+ innovative process is expected to help minimize both CAPEX and OPEX and significantly improve margins for bottom-of-the-barrel upgrading.

In 2019, Saudi Aramco joined CLG at its research and development facility in Richmond, California, to create and develop the initial concept pilot testing. Success there led to further HOPI+ evaluations against different process schemes, which further helped quantify the technology's added value.

"HOPI+, combined with CLG's LC-FINING platform, is an innovative concept that simultaneously increases crude throughput and converts residue to valuable transportation fuels and petrochemical feedstock while minimizing capital and energy," said Ujjal Mukherjee, Managing Director, CLG. "The initiative further strengthens the relationship between Saudi Aramco and CLG as we develop, pursue and commercialize new and innovative technology."

Chevron Lummus Global and Saudi Aramco now intend to co-develop LC-HOPI+ technology before global commercialization by CLG.

As MRC informed before, in June 2020, Aramco finalized its USD69 billion acquisition of a 70% stake in Saudi Basic Industries Corp., the Middle East's biggest petrochemical maker. SABIC reported more than a fivefold year-on-year increase in its Q3 net profit to USD1.49 billion thanks to higher average sales prices.

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 2,047,100 tonnes in the first ten months of 2021, up by 17% year on year. Shipments of all grades of ethylene polymers increased. At the same time, PP shipments to the Russian market were 1,226,530 tonnes in January-October 2021, up by 26% year on year. Supply of propylene homopolymers (homopolymer PP) and block-copolymers of propylene (PP block copolymers) increased, whereas supply of injection moulding stat-copolymers of propylene (PP random copolymers) decreased significantly.

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

Petronas inks MoU with Petros for staggered increase of natural gas supply

Petronas inks MoU with Petros for staggered increase of natural gas supply

MOSCOW (MRC) -- Petroliam Nasional Berhad (PETRONAS) and Petroleum Sarawak Berhad (PETROS) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on a staggered increase of natural gas supply to Sarawak for the implementation of projects under the Sarawak Gas Roadmap, said the company.

The signing of the MOU took place at a hotel here, in the presence of Sarawak Chief Minister, Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri (Dr) Abang Haji Abdul Rahman Johari Tun Openg and PETRONAS Chairman, Tan Sri Dato’ Seri Mohd Bakke Salleh.

Signing on behalf of PETRONAS was Executive Vice President and Chief Executive Officer of Upstream, Adif Zulkifli while PETROS was represented by its Group Chief Executive Officer, Datuk Sauu Kakok. It was witnessed by Senior Vice President of Malaysia Petroleum Management, Mohamed Firouz Asnan, PETROS' Chairman of the Board, Tan Sri Datuk Amar (Dr) Hamid Bugo and Director of Economic Planning Unit Sarawak, Datu Dr Mohammad Abdullah Zaidel.

Speaking at the ceremony, Tan Sri Mohd Bakke said, “The staggered increase envisaged under the MOU which would ultimately bring the total domestic gas allocation to 1.2 billion standard cubic feet per day would not only support the State’s aspirations to attract investments from new, higher value-adding industries into Sarawak but would also provide the necessary impetus for further upstream exploration that would strengthen the State’s hydrocarbon resource base."

As per MRC, Petroliam Nasional Berhad, or Petronas, said it aims to become a net zero emitter of greenhouse gases by 2050 and also plans to increase its investments in renewable energy. Burning of oil and gas accounts for the vast majority of the world’s carbon emissions, and many investors have pushed global oil majors to do more to combat climate change.

As MRC wrote earlier, in June 2019, Malaysian state oil company Petroliam Nasional Bhd, or Petronas, and Saudi Aramco started operations at their new 1.2-million-tonnes-per-year naphtha cracker. The cracker is part of the USD2.7 billion joint-venture oil refinery and petrochemical project known as RAPID - or Refinery and Petrochemical Integrated Development - located in Pengerang in the state of Johor, at the southern tip of peninsular Malaysia.

PETRONAS currently has existing agreements to supply natural gas to the power and non-power sectors in Sarawak and is actively encouraging sustained upstream investments in exploring more gas resources and further developing discovered gas resources, particularly in Sarawak.
MRC

Oriental Energy starts up two UNIPOL PP lines in Ningbo

Oriental Energy starts up two UNIPOL PP lines in Ningbo

MOSCOW (MRC) -- W. R. Grace & Co., the leading independent supplier of polyolefin catalyst technology, polypropylene (PP) process technology, has announced the successful start-up of two 400 KTA UNIPOL PP process technology lines at Oriental Energy in Ningbo, China, according to Hydrocarbonprocessing.

This brings the total UNIPOL PP operating capacity in China to more than 6.3 MM tpy in the last twelve years making homopolymer, random and impact copolymers to serve the growing market for high performance plastics in China. As of today, Grace expects another 2 MM tpy to come on stream in the next few years from UNIPOL PP process technology in China.

“The safe and successful start-up of the two UNIPOL PP lines at the Ningbo facility is an exciting moment for Oriental Energy. It comes at a critical time as the global economy bounces back from the pandemic and customer demand in the region rises. We are committed to our Chinese customers and look forward to supporting Oriental Energy for years to come to ensure their continued success,” said David Hartill, Vice President of Global Licensing and Services.

Mr. Wu, Yinlong, General Manager of Oriental Energy, remarked, “We appreciate the technical support that Grace provided during design, construction, and commissioning of these important PP assets. These lines are critical to our corporate vision and success in polyolefins, and we look forward to working with Grace to further optimize their performance.”

Oriental Energy currently has the largest UNIPOL PP process technology operating capacity in China, and there are plans to build additional PP lines at their sites in Ningbo and Maoming in the coming years. They anticipate producing several grades of homopolymers, random and impact copolymers with these newest lines to meet the expanding resin requirements of their customers in the region.

As MRC reported previously, earlier this month, W. R. Grace & Co. licensed its UNIPOL PP process technology to Oriental Energy for its Maoming, China, plant. This is Oriental Energy’s fifth PP line, and its fourth using Grace’s UNIPOL PP process technology with a production capacity of 400 KTA.

According to MRC's ScanPlast report, PP shipments to the Russian market were 1,226,530 tonnes in the first ten months of 2021, up by 26% year on year. Supply of propylene homopolymers (homopolymer PP) and block-copolymers of propylene (PP block copolymers) increased, whereas supply of injection moulding stat-copolymers of propylene (PP random copolymers) decreased significantly.

Oriental Energy operates two subsidiaries, Oriental Energy-Ningbo and Oriental Energy-Zhangjiagang, each of which, in turn, operates a plant with a capacity of 400 ktpa PP and a propane dehydrogenation unit with a capacity of 600 ktpa. These companies were renamed in April 2017 as follows: Ningbo Fuji Petrochemical was renamed Oriental Energy-Ningbo and Zhangjiagang Yangzijiang Petrochemical was renamed Oriental Energy-Zhangjiagang.
MRC

Neo-Pak launched a new line for the production of polymer packaging

MOSCOW (MRC) - The Neo-Pak company (Novosibirsk) has installed another technological line for the production of polymer packaging, which consists of a three-layer extrusion blow molding line, a Soma Optima2 flexo printing machine, a Lamiflex laminator and a slitter rewinder, the Novosibirsk government said in a statement.

It is expected that the implementation of the project will increase the market share for flexible packaging in the Siberian Federal District, the Urals and neighboring countries (Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, etc.), for packages - throughout the Russian Federation and the CIS, create additional jobs (46 units) and to increase the plant's capacity by 40%.

The Neo-pack company in October 2020 received the approval of a loan for 250 million rubles. within the framework of the Industrial Development Fund (IDF) "Development Projects" program. It was planned to double the production of flexible polymer packaging and bags, including for the distribution of goods from online stores.

The first stage of production with investments of 251.2 million rubles and a capacity of 6 thousand tons of flexible packaging per year was launched in the second quarter of 2019, reaching full capacity by 2026.

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.

The Neo-Pak company was founded in 2009 in Novosibirsk. Today, the production capacity of Neo-Pak is 18 thousand km of printing per month and 700 tonnes of film per month. The number of employees of the company is about 200 people, the occupied area is 12,000 m. Neo-Pak produces a wide range of flexible packaging materials for various industries (food, chemical, etc.), as well as custom, serial and courier packages. The company provides a full cycle of packaging manufacturing services: blowing films, prepress, printing and post-processing, quality control and delivery to the end consumer.
MRC