Sulzer Chemtech to provide its BioFlux technology for renewable energy complex in Malaysia

MOSCOW (MRC) -- Sulzer Chemtech will provide a BioFlux technology package to support the creation of the Sabah Maju Jaya Renewable Energy Industrial Complex (SMJREIC) in Malaysia, according to Hydrocarbonprocessing.

This new facility will produce sustainable fuels with limited GHG emissions by using locally-sourced, renewable feedstock.

By leveraging Sulzer Chemtech’s technology, the new plant located at Sapangar Bay, Kota Kinabalu, will have a production capacity of 250,000 tpy.

Vandelay Ventures has preselected Sulzer Chemtech (GTC Technology) to be the preferred process technology provider for the main processes at the 10,000 m2 processing complex. This will utilize plant-based oils for the production of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF), renewable diesel (HVO) and renewable naphtha as a byproduct.

More precisely, the SMJREIC’s infrastructure will rely on the proprietary BioFlux technology offered by Sulzer Chemtech in cooperation with Duke Technologies for the conversion of various pretreated feedstocks to either HVO or SAF while generating lower emissions than conventional processes.

The unit will complement the centralized edible oil bulking terminal, which will have a capacity of 30,000 tpy, and supply high-quality feed to the HVO/SAF plant, with capacity of 250,000 tpy. In addition, Sulzer Chemtech will provide engineering services as well as installation, commissioning and startup support.

As MRC reported before, earlier this year, Sulzer Chemtech finalized an agreement with Encina Development Group, LLC to provide technology to recover high purity circular aromatics from cracked oil products derived from Encina’s mixed-plastics-to-aromatics catalytic conversion platform. Encina’s 1000 tpd waste plastics recycling facility will be located in Northeast US, and is expected to be operational in 2024.

According to MRC's ScanPlast report, Russia's estimated PE consumption totalled 2,487,450 tonnes in 2021, up by 13% year on year. Shipments of all grades of ethylene polymers increased. At the same time, PP shipments to the Russian market totalled 1,494.280 tonnes, up by 21% year on year. Deliveries of homopolymer PP and PP block copolymers increased, whreas.shipments of PP random copolymers decreased significantly.
MRC

MOSCOW (MRC) -- Kraton Corporation ("Kraton") announced that the merger pursuant to which DL Chemical Co., Ltd. (DL Chemical) acquired Kraton, has been completed on March 15, 2022. DL Chemical acquired Kraton in an all-cash transaction valued at approximately USD2.5 bn, said the company.

The merger enables Kraton to strengthen its global presence by leveraging DL Chemical's manufacturing capabilities and footprint in the Asian market, along with its financial strength, allowing Kraton to further invest in industry-leading sustainable innovation. The merger also accelerates both DL Chemical's and Kraton's vision of being a global leader of specialty chemicals.

The transaction was announced on September 27, 2021, and received Kraton stockholder approval on December 9, 2021. As a result of the transaction completion, Kraton is now a wholly owned subsidiary of DL Chemical. Effective today, Mr. Marcello Boldrini and Dr. Holger Jung will lead Kraton as Co-Chief Executive Officers, overseeing Kraton's Chemical and Polymer segments, respectively.

As per MRC, Sabic has announced a new collaboration with Kraton to deliver certified renewable butadiene from its TRUCIRCLE portfolio for use in Kraton’s certified renewable styrenic block copolymers.

Kraton Corporation is a leading global producer of specialty polymers and high-value performance products derived from renewable resources. Kraton's polymers are used in a wide range of applications, including adhesives, coatings, consumer and personal care products, sealants and lubricants, and medical, packaging, automotive, paving and roofing products.
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MOSCOW (MRC) -- Keyera Corp. said Tuesday that it has agreed to collaborate with Shell Canada Ltd. on potential low-carbon projects in the province of Alberta, according to MarketWatch.

The two companies have signed a memorandum of understanding in which they would leverage existing assets and adjacent lands towards a lower-carbon aims and attract new investment opportunities to the region, Keyera said.

In addition, Keyera would leverage existing pipeline capable of transporting hydrogen to a hydrogen manufacturing and distribution network in the region which it said is another opportunity to decarbonize operations.

"Keyera...and Shell will explore opportunities to build a future open access gathering and distribution network to transport captured CO2 from Keyera and other operations in the region to Shell's proposed Polaris CCS storage hub," the company said.

As MRC wrote before, Shell faces writedowns on USD400 MM in Russian downstream assets, it said, having announced USD3 B worth of other projects previously. The oil major announced on Feb. 28 that it would quit its ventures in Russia with Gazprom and related entities including the flagship Sakhalin 2 LNG plant and the Nord Stream 2 pipeline project.

We remind that Shell Chemicals expects its new petrochemical complex in southwest Pennsylvania to come online by the end of 2022, Royal Dutch Shell CFO Jessica Uhl said February 3, during the company's Q4 2021 earnings call.

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

MOSCOW (MRC) -- Nexeo Plastics, a leading global thermoplastics resin distributor, announces an agreement with AFC ECOPLASTICS to distribute bio-compounds for the blow and film molding market throughout Canada, Mexico and the United States, said the company.

"Our company is committed to providing customers with a large variety of high performing resins and compounds, including sustainable alternatives for single use applications,” said Arturo Hoyo, Nexeo Plastics’ Vice President of Product Line Management. “AFC Ecoplastics’ compounds fill a growing need for sustainable products that are durable and flexible and can be processed on existing machinery."

AFC’s bio-compounds include grades that meet ASTM D6400 for industrial composting and grades that are 30% biobased and 80% biobased, which are often ideal options for applications such as cutlery, straws, caps and closures.

"Nexeo Plastics is known as a leader in new technologies for plastics processors, and we are pleased to be part of a relationship to bring new, innovative compostable and biodegradable compounds to the marketplace,” said Nirav Patel, Chief Executive Officer, AFC Ecoplastics.

As per MRC, Nexeo Plastics acquired Italian thermoplastics distributor and compounder Nevicolor. In a deal that expands its European footprint, resin distributor Nexeo Plastics LLC has acquired Nevicolor SpA, a resin supplier and compounder based in Luzzara, Italy, for an undisclosed amount.

MRC earlier said, Nexeo Univar Inc., announced that it has completed the acquisition of Nexeo Solutions, creating a leading global chemical and ingredients solutions provider. The combined company will conduct business as Univar Solutions, reflecting a commitment to combining the 'best of the best' from each legacy organization.

Nexeo Plastics is a leading global thermoplastic resins distributor, representing quality products from world-class suppliers, and serving a diverse customer base across North America, Latin America, Europe, Middle East, Africa and Asia. From material selection assistance to identifying supply chain and inventory solutions, we go beyond traditional logistics to provide value-added services across many industries, including automotive, healthcare, packaging, wire and cable,
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MOSCOW (MRC) -- BASF is to increase its production capacity for plastic additives at its sites in Pontecchio Marconi, Italy and Lampertheim, Germany, said the company.

BASF did not disclose, however, current or future capacities for its production of plastic additives hindered amine light stabilizers (HALS).

"Enabling plastic materials in use for as long as possible in specific applications will minimize waste. The integrity and durability of plastic materials can be adversely affected by exposure to sun and artificial light, which leads to a breakdown of the chemical bonds in a polymer," - said BASF.

The growing scrutiny on the use and disposal of plastics is driving the industry to focus on more sustainable solutions. Enabling plastic materials in use for as long as possible in specific applications will minimize waste. The integrity and durability of plastic materials can be adversely affected by exposure to sun and artificial light, which leads to a breakdown of the chemical bonds in a polymer. Photodegradation leads to cracking, chalking, and a weakening of physical properties such as impact resistance and tensile strength. BASF’s HALS Tinuvin®, Chimassorb®, and Uvinul® play a key role in protecting polymers from UV radiation and are effective inhibitors of free-radical induced degradation. This characteristic helps to extend product lifetimes.

The production sites at Pontecchio Marconi and Lampertheim are world-scale, strategic production locations for HALS and NOR HALS to service customers globally. BASF has continuously invested in updated and expanded production capabilities, including surrounding infrastructure, to ensure highly efficient production of the best quality products.

BASF runs a global production network and is the only supplier of plastic additives with production sites on four continents.

As per MRC, BASF launched a new fluid catalytic cracking catalyst designed to maximize butylenes from resid feedstocks. Fortitude, the latest product based on BASF’s multiple framework topology (MFT) technology, is optimized to deliver superior selectivity to butylenes while maintaining catalyst activity.

As per MRC, BASF, the world's petrochemical major, is strengthening its global catalyst development and helping customers to bring new products faster to the market. As part of this strategy, BASF is building a new pilot plant center at its Ludwigshafen site. The new Catalyst Development and Solids Processing Center will serve as a global hub for pilot-scale production and process innovations of chemical catalysts.

BASF is the leading chemical company. It produces a wide range of chemicals, for example solvents, amines, resins, glues, electronic-grade chemicals, industrial gases, basic petrochemicals and inorganic chemicals. The most important customers for this segment are the pharmaceutical, construction, textile and automotive industries.
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