COVID-19 - News digest as of 18.02.2022

1. Neste to start Singapore SAF plant by 1Q 2023

MOSCOW (MRC) -- Neste plans to produce its first batch of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) in Singapore by the end of 1Q 2023 after the COVID-19 pandemic delayed its expansion project, reported Reuters with reference to a senior executive's statement on Wednesday. "It's been delayed due to the pandemic as we were already hoping to be on stream in 2022," Neste's Executive Vice President for Renewable Aviation, Thorsten Lange, told Reuters. "But the revised plan is now fully on track." Neste produces renewable fuels, mainly from waste and residues such as used cooking oil, animal fat from food industry waste, fish fat from fish processing waste and residues from vegetable oil processing.

MRC

MOSCOW (MRC) -- Overall polypropylene (PP) imports into Belarus increased to 117,200 tonnes in 2021, up by 1.3% year on year. Demand exclusively for propylene homopolymers (homopolymer PP) increased, according to MRC's DataScope report.

December PP imports in the Republic of Belarus rose to 10,800 tonnes from 9,000 tonnes a month earlier. Local companies increased their purchasing of all grades of propylene polymers, in order to build up additional inventories for the first half of January. Overall PP imports of propylene polymers reached 117,200 tonnes in 2021 versus 115,600 tonnes a year earlier. Demand for exclusively homopolymer PP imports increased, whereas demand for propylene copolymers decreased.

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

December imports of homopolymer PP grew to 7,600 tonnes from 6,800 tonnes a month earlier, purchases in Russia and Azerbaijan increased. Overall imports of homopolymer PP reached 86,400 tonnes in 2021, up by 2.3% year on year.

December imports of propylene copolymers to Belarus were 3,200 tonnes versus 2,200 tonnes a month earlier, local companies increased their procurement of injection moulding block-copolymers of propylene (PP block copolymer) from Russian producers. Thus, overall imports of propylene copolymers reached 30,800 tonnes in January-December 2021, down by 1.2% a year earlier.

MRC

MOSCOW (MRC) -- Overall imports of unmixed polyvinyl chloride (PVC) into Belarus totalled 58,300 tonnes last year, up by 11% year on year, according to MRC's DataScope report.

According to the statistical committee of the Republic of Belarus, local converters reduced their purchasing of suspension in Russia due to seasonal factors. December imports were about 4,000 tonnes, whereas this figure was at 4,700 tonnes a month earlier.

Overall PVC imports reached 58,300 tonnes in 2021 versus 53,000 tonnes a year earlier.

Russian producers with the share of about 92% of the Belarusian market were the key suppliers of resin to Belarus over the stated period. Producers from Germany with the share of over 8% were the second largest suppliers.

MRC

MOSCOW (MRC) - Imports of polypropylene (PP) into Kazakhstan increased by 3% in 2021 year on year and reached 43,300 tonnes.
PP exports increased more significantly by 20%, reported MRC analysts.

December PP shipments to Kazakhstan grew to 3,500 tonnes from 2,400 tonnes a month earlier, local converters increased their purchasing of homopolymer PP in Asia and Azerbaijan. Overall imports of PP practically reached 43,300 tonnes in 2021, compared to 41,800 tonnes a year earlier.

At the same time, the stable work of the local producer in 2021 has made it possible to significantly increase the export sales of polypropylene, and mainly to Russia.

December imports of homopolymer PP and propylene copolymers increased to 2,900 tonnes and 630 tonnes, respectively, versus over 2,100 tonnes and 300 tonnes a month earlier, local companies increased purchases pipe PP random copolymers in Russia and homopolymer PP in Azerbaijan and Asia.
Overall imports of homopolymer PP and propylene copolymers reached 31,500 tonnes and 11,800 tonnes, respectively, in January-December 2021, compared to 32,600 tonnes and 9,200 tonnes a year earlier.

December exports of PP from Kazakhstan increased to 1,200 tonnes against 1,600 tonnes in November. Kazakhstan's PP exports in 2021 increased to 29,200 tonnes, whereas this figure was 24,400 tonnes a year earlier.

About 93% of total exports accounted for Russia.
MRC

MOSCOW (MRC) -- Lummus Technology announced that Shandong Yulong Petrochemical Co., Ltd., a subsidiary of China's Nanshan Group, has selected its CDAlky technology for use in a new 400 KTA alkylation unit, according to Hydrocarbonprocessing.

The unit will be part of Shandong Yulong's 20,000 KTA refining and petrochemical integrated project, a mega complex in Shandong Province, China.

Lummus' scope for this award includes the technology license, basic engineering, technical services and proprietary equipment supply.

The CDAlky technology will produce alkylate with a high-octane rating and low sulfur concentration without any olefins. This results in a superior gasoline-blending component that improves fuel efficiency and reduces environmental impact.

In addition to alkylation technology, Lummus has licensed several other technologies to Shandong Yulong. In 2020, Shandong Yulong selected Lummus as the licensor for two mixed feed crackers, two polypropylene lines, an ethylbenzene unit and a styrene monomer unit. These facilities also are part of Shandong Yulong's refining and petrochemical integrated project.

Lummus' CDAlky technology is an advanced low-temperature sulfuric acid alkylation process for the production of high quality alkylate. It reacts light olefin streams from refinery sources such as fluid catalytic cracking units or from steam cracking units with iso-paraffins to produce motor fuel alkylate.

As MRC informed earlier, in January, 2022, Lummus Technology announced it had been awarded a contract from Lukoil Permnefteorgsintez for a new integrated methyl tertiary butyl ether (MTBE) and alkylation plant at Lukoil"s refinery in Perm, Russia. The MTBE unit will use Lummus" CDEtherol technology and the alkylation unit will use Lummus" CDAlky technology.

We remind that earlier last month, Honeywell announced that Lukoil -Permnefteorgsintez, a subsidiary of Lukoil, will use a range of Honeywell UOP process technologies at its refinery to convert low value vacuum gasoil into high value products such as gasoline and propylene.

Propylene is the main feedstock for the production of polypropylene (PP).

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.

Lukoil is one of the leading vertically integrated oil companies in Russia. The main activities of the company include exploration and production of oil and gas, production and sale of petroleum products. Lukoil is the second largest private oil company in the world in terms of proven hydrocarbon reserves. The structure of Lukoil includes one of the largest petrochemical enterprises in Russia - Stavrolen.
mrcplas.com