Advanced Petrochemical net profit rise by 37% on higher PP sales

Advanced Petrochemical net profit rise by 37% on higher PP sales

MOSCOW (MRC) -- Saudi Arabia’s Advanced Petrochemical Co. has registered its highest-ever estimated annual profit since its incorporation in 2021, amid higher polypropylene (PP) sales, according to ARAB NEWS.

The Jubail-based company’s net profit rose by 37% to SR815 million (USD217 million), compared to SR596 million a year earlier, it said in a bourse filing.

This was mainly driven by a 51% increase in sales of PP - used to make packaging as well as a wide array of consumer products.

Total comprehensive income surged to SR985 million, up 56% year-on-year, due to unrealized gains on equity investment during the period.

The hike came despite some drawbacks including a decline in its stake in South Korean affiliate SK Advanced Co. and higher prices of propane and outsourced propylene, among other factors that led to an increase in expenses.

As MRC wrote previously, in April, 2021, Advanced Petrochemical Co. announced that it had resumed operations at two plants in Jubail, Saudi Arabia after the completion of a scheduled turnaround. Thus, operations at the company's polypropylene (PP) plant began on 28 March, 2021, whereas operations at its propane degydranation (PDH) unit restarted on 11 April, 202. Both plants were shut for repairs on 11 March, 2021. The maintenance works were implemented in line with the occupational safety and health standards, despite the COVID-19 outbreak.

We remind that SK Advanced started up a new PP plant in Ulsan, South Korea on 23 March, 2021, and managed to produce on-specification PP at this plant in the week ending 9 April, 2021.The PP unit is a joint venture between PolyMirae and SK Advanced, using the “Spheripol” process of LyondellBasell, and have an annual output of 400,000 tons/year.

According to MRC's ScanPlast report, PP shipments to the Russian market were 1,363,850 tonnes in January-November, 2021, up by 25% year on year. Supply of homopolymer PP and block-copolymers of propylene (PP block copolymers) increased, whereas supply of injection moulding PP random copolymers decreased significantly.
MRC

Shell signs gas concession agreement in Oman

Shell signs gas concession agreement in Oman

MOSCOW (MRC) -- Shell along with its partners, OQ and Marsa Liquefied Natural Gas LLC have signed a concession agreement with the Ministry of Energy and Minerals on behalf of the government of the Sultanate of Oman to develop and produce natural gas from Block 10, said the company.

The parties also signed a separate gas sales agreement for gas produced from the block. The two agreements follow an interim upstream agreement signed in February 2019. Shell’s entry into this block signifies a further commitment to Oman, while enhancing and diversifying Shell’s gas supply.

"These agreements represent a major step for Shell and for our relationship with Oman. They generate value and strengthen our Integrated Gas business, which we need to deliver the energy Oman and the world need today. And we are looking at how Shell can help Oman with developing low-carbon energy in the future,” said Wael Sawan, Shell Integrated Gas, Renewables and Energy Solutions Director.

The concession agreement establishes Shell as the operator of block 10, holding a 53.45% working interest, with OQ and Marsa Liquefied Natural Gas LLC holding 13.36% and 33.19% respectively. For the initial phase, Petroleum Development Oman (PDO) is building the infrastructure for the project, including the main pipeline to the Saih Rawl gas processing facility, on behalf of the Block 10 venture partners. The venture will drill and hook up wells to maintain the production beyond the initial phase. The block is expected to reach production of 0.5 billion standard cubic feet of gas per day (bscf/d). Start up is expected within the next two years.

In addition, Shell and Energy Development Oman (EDO) signed an agreement to process the natural gas from Block 10 in EDO’s Saih Rawl facility. H.E. Dr Mohammed Al Rumhi, Minister of Energy and Minerals in Oman said: “We share a long and strategic collaboration with Shell and our other partners. This project will further maximise the potential of Oman’s energy industry, in line with the Sultanate’s strategy to create growth opportunities across all energy streams and in line with Oman’s Vision 2040 priorities."

Shell and the government have agreed that, in parallel to the development of Block 10, Shell will develop options for a separate downstream gas project in which Shell could produce and sell low-carbon products and support the development of hydrogen in Oman. Any project would be subject to further agreements and future investment decisions.

As per MRC, Royal Dutch Shell on 8 December shut down its cracking units and a number of petrochemical plants in Deer Park (Deer Park, Texas, USA). It is currently unknown how long the olefin complex with a capacity of 1.67 million tonnes of ethylene per year and the petrochemical plants will remain closed. The reason for the stop is also not indicated.

According to MRC's ScanPlast report, Russia's estimated PE consumption totalled 2,265,290 tonnes in the first eleven months of 2021, up by 14% year on year. Shipments of all grades of ethylene polymers increased. At the same time, PP shipments to the Russian market were 1,363,850 tonnes in January-November, 2021, up by 25% year on year. Supply of homopolymer PP and block-copolymers of propylene (PP block copolymers) increased, whereas supply of injection moulding PP random copolymers decreased significantly.

Royal Dutch Shell is an Anglo-Dutch oil and gas company headquartered in The Hague (Netherlands). Shell conducts geological exploration and production of oil and gas in more than 80 countries around the world. The company fully or partially owns more than 30 oil refineries. In addition, Shell owns a significant number of chemical plants, as well as the production of solar panels and other alternative energy sources.
MRC

Shell fourth quarter 2021 update note

Shell fourth quarter 2021 update note

MOSCOW (MRC) -- Shell’s chemicals division profits are expected weaker quarter on quarter for the closing three months of 2021, the producer said on Friday, as commodity chemicals margins continue to weaken, said the company.

Division profitability and joint venture earnings in the space are expected to be weaker quarter on quarter when the UK-headquartered oil and gas major formally reports its financial results in early February. “Chemicals margins as well as associated JV earnings are expected to be significantly lower than the third quarter 2021, primarily due to weaker base chemicals margins,” the company said in an update note released on Friday.

The forecast indicates that Shell’s chemicals earnings will have fallen for the second half of 2021 as a whole, with the division adjusted earnings of USD395m in the third quarter representing a substantial decline from the $670m generated during the prior three-month period.

Shell had attributed the third-quarter decline to weaker margins for base and intermediate chemicals lines as prices normalised, as well as the impact of Hurricane Ida on the US Gulf Coast in September. The aftermath of Ida has continued to weigh on company chemicals earnings in the fourth quarter, Shell said, as well as the impact of a lengthy maintenance period at its Scotford, Canada, facility.

The company took down several production units at the site for maintenance from the start of September until late October. While most units are back online, a problem at the Scotford ethylene glycol plant discovered during the maintenance means the facility was expected to remain idle at least through early 2022.

Due in part to the maintenance and Hurricane Ida recovery work, Shell projects that total capacity utilisation will be 74-78% for the division during the quarter, compared to 78% during the preceding three months. Total chemicals sales volumes are expected at 3.3m-3.6m tonnes, a substantial decline from earlier projections of 3.5-3.9m tonnes for the period.

The company is expected to post final fourth-quarter earnings on 3 February.

As per MRC, Royal Dutch Shell on December 8 shut down its cracking units and a number of petrochemical plants in Deer Park (Deer Park, Texas, USA). It is currently unknown how long the olefin complex with a capacity of 1.67 million tonnes of ethylene per year and the petrochemical plants will remain closed. The reason for the stop is also not indicated.

According to MRC's ScanPlast report, Russia's estimated PE consumption totalled 2,265,290 tonnes in the first eleven months of 2021, up by 14% year on year. Shipments of all grades of ethylene polymers increased. At the same time, PP shipments to the Russian market were 1,363,850 tonnes in January-November, 2021, up by 25% year on year. Supply of homopolymer PP and block-copolymers of propylene (PP block copolymers) increased, whereas supply of injection moulding PP random copolymers decreased significantly.

Royal Dutch Shell is an Anglo-Dutch oil and gas company headquartered in The Hague (Netherlands). Shell conducts geological exploration and production of oil and gas in more than 80 countries around the world. The company fully or partially owns more than 30 oil refineries. In addition, Shell owns a significant number of chemical plants, as well as the production of solar panels and other alternative energy sources.
MRC

SK Geo Centric to jointly build PP recycling plant in Ulsan with US startup

SK Geo Centric to jointly build PP recycling plant in Ulsan with US startup

MOSCOW (MRC) -- SK Geo Centric Co. (formerly SK Global Chemical), a chemical materials unit of South Korean conglomerate SK Group, said Monday it will build a plastic waste recycling factory in South Korea jointly with a US startup as part of efforts to advance its green business, according to The Korea Herald.

SK Geocentric said it signed an initial terms agreement with Purecycle Technologies Inc., a Florida-based plastic recycling company, to construct a polypropylene (PP) recycling factory in the industrial city of Ulsan, about 400 kilometers southeast of Seoul.

The signing took place on the sidelines of the Consumer Electronics Show in Los Angeles last week, attended by Purecycle Technologies CEO Mike Otworth and Kim Jun, CEO of SK Innovation Co., Geo Centric's parent firm.

Under the deal, the construction will break ground this year and is aiming for completion by 2024. It will have an annual capacity to process about 60,000 tons of recycled PP using Purecycle's technologies, and SK Geocentric will hold exclusive domestic sales rights to the materials.

Purecycle specializes in recycling PP waste into ultra-pure PP resin by removing contaminants, which can be re-used in various consumer goods, automotive and construction materials.

In August 2021, the two companies agreed to set up a joint venture to build a plastic waste recycling plant in South Korea. SK Geocentric has also been working with other American and Canadian plastic recycling companies to boost related production in its Ulsan complex.

As MRC reported earlier, Korea’s SK Global Chemical has changed its name to SK Geo Centric with effect from Sep. 1 as it adopts a strategy centered on recycling and eco-friendly materials. The company’s primary goal is to establish facilities to process 900,000 t/y of plastic waste, which is equal to its annual domestic plastic production, by 2025, ramping up to 2.5 million t/y by 2027. It plans to invest about 5 trillion Korean won by 2025, both in South Korea and internationally, which will also include expanding capacity for green materials.

According to MRC's ScanPlast report, PP shipments to the Russian market were 1,363,850 tonnes in January-November, 2021, up by 25% year on year. Supply of homopolymer PP and block-copolymers of propylene (PP block copolymers) increased, whereas supply of injection moulding PP random copolymers decreased significantly.
MRC

Rosneft will apply a new strategy to achieve zero emissions by 2050

Rosneft will apply a new strategy to achieve zero emissions by 2050

MOSCOW (MRC) -- Russia's largest oil producer Rosneft said that its board has approved new strategy through to 2030 with the aim of achieving net zero emissions by 2050, earlier than President Vladimir Putin's deadline, said Reuters.

Climate scientists have said the balance between the greenhouse gases we emit and those removed from the atmosphere must be zero by 2050 to prevent catastrophic levels of global warming. Russia, the world's no. 4 greenhouse gas emitter, however, has said it targets carbon neutrality by no earlier than 2060.

Rosneft, in which BP (BP.L) holds an almost 20% stake, said the company will reach its emission targets "through a number of actions," including low-carbon power generation, eliminating routine flaring of gas and energy-saving and carbon capture and storage technologies.

As part of efforts to reach that goal, the share of natural gas in total hydrocarbon production will grow to 25% by 2025. Achieving a set of strategic targets is expected to contribute to a more than doubling of the company's free cash flow by 2030, said Rosneft, which is managed by Igor Sechin, a close ally of President Vladimir Putin.

The "Rosneft-2030" strategy also targets hydrocarbon production of 330 million tonnes of oil equivalent per year, it said. Output growth will be driven mainly by the flagship Vostok Oil project, large new projects (including Russkoye, Yurubcheno-Tokhomskoye, Severo-Danilovskoye and Severo-Komsomolskoye fields), and gas projects (Rospan, Kharampur and others).

As per MRC, Rosneft, Russia's largest state oil company, and Indian Oil Corporation Limited (IOCL), an Indian petrochemical giant, have signed a contract to supply up to 2 million tonnes of oil to India via the port of Novorossiysk by the end of 2022.

Rosneft is the world's largest publicly traded oil company. The company accounts for about 5% of global oil production, and its proven reserves in the international category will exceed 5 billion tons of oil equivalent. The structure of Rosneft includes the Angarsk Plant of Polymers and Ufaorgsintez (part of the structure of Bashneft) after the closing of the transaction for the purchase of Bashneft. Rosneft and partners acquired the Indian company Essar Oil in 2017 for USD12.9 billion and later renamed the company to Nayara Energy.
MRC