LG Energy Solution raises USD10.8 bln in South.Korea biggest IPO

MOSCOW (MRC) -- South Korean battery maker LG Energy Solution (LGES) raised USD10.8 billion in its initial public offering (IPO), attracting record demand for a deal in South Korea, reported Reuters with reference to the company's statement.

LGES shares were priced at 300,000 won each, at the top of a range announced in a regulatory filing last month, raising 12.8 trillion won (USD10.76 billion).

The listing, set to take place on Jan. 27, will be the biggest in the country after Samsung Life Insurance Co Ltd's 4.8 trillion won IPO in 2010.

The pricing values LGES at 70.2 trillion won, making it South Korea's third most-valuable company after Samsung Electronics Co Ltd (005930.KS) and SK Hynix Inc.

LGES, LG Chem Ltd's battery subsidiary, supplies Tesla Inc, General Motor Co and Volkswagen AG, among other automakers.

A total of 1,988 domestic and foreign institutional investors placed bids, LGES' filing showed, valuing total bids at record USD12.8 trillion. LGES said the institutional book for the IPO was 2,023 times covered - the largest ever for an IPO in South Korea.

LGES expects to offer 34 million new shares in the IPO and parent LG Chem plans to offer 8.5 million existing shares. The parent company will own 81.8% of LGES after the listing.

As MRC wrote previously, Mura Technology (Mura), the UK-based plastics recycling technology pioneer, has just completed an equity investment from LG Chem, a leading global chemical producer. The investment bolsters Mura’s plans to develop and deploy industrial-scale advanced recycling capacity across the world, with LG Chem joining the growing list of strategic partners adopting Mura’s technology.

We remind that LG Chem, South Korean petrochemical major, reduced run rates at all of its three naphtha crackers in Deasan and Yeosu, South Korea to approximately 80% on 5 January, 2021, on the back of weak demand and highly volatile upstream naphtha costs. All three crackers with a combined capacity of 3.25 million tons of ethylene and 1.48 million tons of propylene would operate at reduced rates throughout the month of January. It is reported that the producer would ramp up the production in February, however, it is unclear on the exact schedule.

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 2,265,290 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.

LG Chem Ltd., often referred to as LG Chemical, is the largest Korean chemical company and is headquartered in Seoul, South Korea. It has eight domestic factories and global network of 29 business locations in 15 countries. LG Chem is a manufacturer, supplier, and exporter of petrochemical goods, IT&E Materials and Energy Solutions.
MRC

MOSCOW (MRC) -- Toyo Engineering and SCG Chemicals in Thailand entered into a MOU relating to the joint collaboration for improving the process of turning mixed post-consumer plastics into recycled feedstock for petrochemical businesses, said Hydrocarbonprocessing.

The process is owned by Circular Plas (CirPlas), which SCG Chemicals hold a 60% stake. CirPlas has already operated the demonstration plant for the advanced recycling process in Rayong province, Thailand. In September 2021, the process using the advanced recycling technology received the International Sustainability and Carbon Certification or ISCC PLUS. This certificate is issued to organizations with sustainable management and development across the supply chain with SCG Chemicals as the first in Thailand to be certified in the advanced recycling category. SCG Chemicals and CirPlas are planning to increase the capacity of the demonstration plant, and CirPlas and TOYO execute the joint collaboration of exploring scale-up for commercialization.

The advanced recycling technology uses a catalyst, so the recycling process is in low temperatures. This reduces energy consumption and promotes environmental-friendliness. By recycling post-consumer plastics into feedstock for virgin plastic resin, it can contribute to solve the problem of plastic waste not only in Thailand but also in other countries.

As MRC wrote previously, SCG Plastics, part of SCG, took its high density polyethylene (HDPE) plant off-stream for a maintenance turnaround on November 26, 2019. It remained under maintenance until December 14, 2019. Located in Map Ta Phut, Thailand, the plant has a production capacity of 200,000 mt/year.

Ethylene and propylene are feedstocks for producing polyethylene (PE) and polypropylene (PP).

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.
MRC

MOSCOW (MRC) -- Mexican state oil company Pemex on Thursday took control of the Deer Park refinery in Texas, after concluding the purchase of Royal Dutch Shell's half of that plant, reported Reuters with reference to two people familiar with the matter.

Pemex and Shell in May announced the transaction, which is worth almost $600 million and will make the Mexican firm the sole owner of the refinery in Houston. The facility has a capacity to process 340,000 bpd.

"The formal event will take place at around noon on Thursday in Texas," one of the sources said.

Pemex Chief Executive Officer Octavio Romero is on site for the handover, the sources said.

The Mexican company did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the handover, which Reuters reported last week.

After mentioning Pemex's purchase of Deer Park, Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador told a news conference on Thursday that he would on Friday announce some "very good news" on energy matters, without providing details.

The sources said the Mexican side carried out the transaction as agreed: USD596 MM for the refinery's assets - equivalent to Shell's 50% stake in the joint venture's debt - as well as the liquidation of the USD596 MM that made up Pemex's stake in the refinery.

As MRC informed previously, Royal Dutch Shell plc. said in November that its petrochemical complex of several billion dollars in Western Pennsylvania is about 70% complete and in the process to enter service in the early 2020s. The plant's costs are estimated to be USD6-USD10 billion, where ethane will be transformed into plastic feedstock. The facility is equipped to produce 1.5 million metric tons per year (mmty) of ethylene and 1.6 mmty of polyethylene (PE), two important constituents of plastics.

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 2,265,290 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 plc is an Anglo-Dutch multinational oil and gas company headquartered in The Hague, Netherlands and with its registered office in London, United Kingdom. It is the biggest company in the world in terms of revenue and one of the six oil and gas "supermajors". Shell is vertically integrated and is active in every area of the oil and gas industry, including exploration and production, refining, distribution and marketing, petrochemicals, power generation and trading.
MRC

1.Oil refining capacity down for first time in 30 years in 2021

MOSCOW (MRC) -- Global oil refining capacity fell for the first time in 30 years last year, as new capacity was outweighed by closures, reported Reuters with reference to the International Energy Agency's (IEA) statement in its monthly oil market report on Wednesday. Refining capacity was down by 730,000 bpd in 2021, the IEA said, but net additions were expected to amount to 1.2 MMbpd in 2022.

MRC

MOSCOW (MRC) -- The January contract price of ethylene was agreed in Europe at the last month's level. However, some European producers announced a slight reduction in export polyethylene (PE) prices for shipments to the CIS markets, according to ICIS-MRC Price report.

Negotiations over January prices of European PE began in the first decade of the month. All market participants said some European producers reduced their export prices of ethylene polymers by EUR30-60/tonne for this month's shipments. But demand for European PE was very weak from companies from the CIS countries, buyers reported significantly lower prices of suppliers of Middle Eastern and North American PE.

January deals for low density polyethylene (LDPE) were discussed in the range EUR1,750-1,820/tonne FCA, whereas last month's deals were done in the range of EUR1,800-1,880/tonne FCA.

Deals for January shipments of high density polyethylene (HDPE) were negotiated in the range of EUR1,430-1,560/tonne FCA versus EUR1,460-1,590/tonne FCA a month earlier.

Many buyers do not plan to purchase PE in January, citing weak demand, as well as more attractive offer prices for PE shipments from other regions. Thus, Middle Eastern HDPE for January shipments was offered at USD1,480/tonne CFR and lower. Suppliers of North American HDPE for February shipments reduced their prices well below USD1,350/tonne CFR.

A similar situation was registered for LDPE shipments.
MRC