Honeywell announces technology to increase ethylene production and improve naphtha steam cracker profitability

Honeywell announced an integrated olefin suite (IOS) of technologies that can increase ethylene production and improve profitability when added to a naphtha steam cracker. IOS provides customers the ability to improve return on investment, increase operating profits, opportunity to reduce CO2 footprint and increase the level of control over by-products, according to Hydrocarbonprocessing.

IOS features a collection of commercially proven technologies that create a step change in naphtha cracker performance. By economically improving the quality of naphtha cracker feeds, the yield of ethylene is increased and the production of lower-value by-products are reduced.

IOS includes three main sections. The feed optimization section transforms typical naphthas into a naphtha cracker feedstock that is rich in normal paraffins. Normal paraffins increase the yield of ethylene and decrease the yield of most by-products which is expected to generate a more valuable product slate.

The co-processing section significantly increases propylene by processing propane, generated in the feed optimization section and from other feed sources, in a UOP Oleflex unit. When compared to processing propane in a steam cracking unit, the Oleflex process provides a much higher yield to light olefins, while also generating significant amounts valuable hydrogen.

The by-products handling section includes additional processing solutions that can be used to increase, decrease or eliminate the production of by-products such as butadiene, butenes and benzene to match the customer’s strategic objectives.

As MRC reported earlier, in February 2022, TotalEnergies and Honeywell announced an agreement to promote the development of advanced plastic recycling. Under this agreement, Honeywell will supply TotalEnergies with recycled polymer feedstock (RPF) using Honeywell’s UpCycle process technology at the recently announced Honeywell and Sacyr advanced recycling plant, intended to be built in Andalucia, Spain. TotalEnergies will purchase and convert this raw material into virgin-quality polymers, which could be used for food-grade packaging and other high demanding applications.

We remind that in January 2022, 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.

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 2,487,450 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

Dmitry Konov steps down as the Chairman of PSJC SIBUR Holding’s Management Board, from PJSC SIBUR Holding’s Board of Directors, and from the Management Boards at PJSC SIBUR Holding and SIBUR LLC, according to the company's press release.

Upon completion of all necessary corporate procedures, powers of PSJC SIBUR Holding’s Management Board will be transferred to PSJC SIBUR Holding’s Board of Directors and to the Management Board of SIBUR LLC, PSJC SIBUR Holding’s management company.

These organisational changes are made following Dmitry Konov’s nclusion in the EU and UK sanctions lists and are set to improve resilience of SIBUR’s business as one of the fastest-growing global petrochemical players.

As MRC informed before, Tomskneftekhim, NIOST, Biaxplen, SIBUR Digital moved 50% of the administrative and management personnel to a remote work format until 13 February. Such measures are being taken in preparation for the wave of the omicron strain of coronavirus infection. So, from January 24, restrictions on business trips were also introduced: they are possible only if it is necessary for production and after agreement with the CEO. Before the trip and after - mandatory PCR testing.

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.

SIBUR is the largest vertically integrated gas processing and petrochemical company in Russia, uniting a number of production sites in various regions of the Russian Federation. The company sells products to consumers in the fuel and energy complex, automotive, construction, consumer goods, chemical and other industries in more than 80 countries around the world.
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

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.
mrchub.com

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