Ampacet presents UV stabilizers for polyolefin-based plastics

Ampacet presents UV stabilizers for polyolefin-based plastics

Ampacet introduces UVProtect, a new generation of long-lasting UV stabilizers designed to extend the life of polyolefin-based plastics used in outdoor applications, according to SpecialChem.

When exposed to UV radiation, nearly all polymers degrade, leading to deterioration of physical and mechanical properties such as loss of elongation and tensile strength, discoloration and cracking.

UV stabilizers, such as UVProtect, when added to polymers, extend the life of plastic parts by protecting them from sun exposure. Proper selection of UV stabilizers, however, is crucial to provide appropriate protection to plastic items.

Ampacet UVProtect 1248 efficiently protects the critical physical and mechanical properties of outdoor polyolefin-based plastic items with long-term exposure to UV radiation.

UVProtect dramatically extends the life of plastic items, outperforming commonly-used hindered amine light stabilizers (HALS) with the same additive content. It achieves similar results as HALS with half the additive content, thus enabling reduction of the letdown ratio for better process control.

As MRC informed earlier, burgeoning demand for plastics along with declining feedstock prices were together set to drive the Asia-Pacific (APAC) Color Masterbatches Market to USD5.1 bln & Global Market to USD9.8 bln by 2021 at a CAGR of around 11.8% while the market volume is estimated to reach 3.2KT by 2021, as per IndustryARC.

The number of manufacturers across the world for Color Masterbatches has increased manifold. These manufacturers are actively investing in scaling up their position in the market and are able to attract profitable deals. Some of the major players are: Ampacet Europe, Cabot Plastics International, Clariant Masterbatches, Hubron (International), Kunststof Kemi, Plastika Kritis, PolyOne.

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

Braskem expects higher sales of petrochemical products despite volatile oil

Braskem expects higher sales of petrochemical products despite volatile oil

Brazil's Braskem said it expects a slight growth in sales of petrochemical products and high margins, despite oil price volatility as a result of the Ukraine crisis, reported Reuters.

Braskem had on Wednesday reported a 51% rise in revenue and a 53% rise in cash generation in the fourth quarter over the same period a year earlier.

Pedro Teixeira de Freitas, Braskem's Chief Financial Officer, told analysts on Thursday that he expects growth of up to 3% in polyolefins sales in 2022, which is close to last year's growth.

Braskem said shareholders will vote on a potential extraordinary dividend that may reach up to 2 B reais (USD397 MM) as it is not planning any capacity expansion.

It said it may also consider a stock buyback program.

Braskem's Mexican unit will begin to build a USD400 MM ethane terminal to support polyethylene (PE) production by Braskem Indesa. Braskem is looking for a partner in the unit, which is expected to begin production in 2024.

The CFO said Braskem is planning to migrate its shares to the Novo Mercado, the highest governance segment in the B3 stock exchange, in the first half of the year.

A condition, however, is the sale of preferred shares by Braskem's controlling shareholders, oil company Petroleo Brasileiro SA, known as Petrobras, and conglomerate Novonor, previously known as Odebrecht. The sale was canceled earlier this year due to lackluster demand.

As MRC wrote earlier, in late 2020, Braskem announced its latest sustainability ambitions to significantly expand its efforts to eliminate plastic waste in the environment by 2030 and to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050.

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.

Braskem S.A. produces petrochemicals and generates electricity. The Company produces ethylene, propylene, benzene, toluene, xylenes, butadiene, butene, isoprene, dicyclopentediene, MTBE, caprolactam, ammonium sulfate, cyclohexene, polyethylene theraphtalat, polyethylene, and polyvinyl chloride (PVC).
MRC

Hyosung Vina Chemical restarted cracker and PP plant

Hyosung Vina Chemical restarted cracker and PP plant

Hyosung Vina Chemical has reportedly restarted its propane dehydrogenation (PDH) unit in Vietnam earlier this week after taking the unit offline on 4 February 2022 for maintenance, said Commonplast.

The 600,000 tons/year PDH plant is currently ramping up operating rates. However, market sources said that the producer might opt to keep the utilization rate at about 70% capacity amid the sluggish PP demand and high feedstock costs.

In addition, Hyosung has also restarted the No. 2 PP plant at the same complex. The unit with an annual output of 300,000 tons/year was taken offline together with the cracker in February.

As per MRC, Hyosung Vina Chemicals, a subsidiary of a large petrochemical manufacturer in South Korea - Hyosung Corporation, on February 4 stopped production at a propane dehydrogenation plant in Cai Mep (Vietnam) in order to carry out planned preventive measures to repair equipment. Maintenance at this unit with a capacity of 600 thousand tons of propylene per year continued until the beginning of March this year.

Hyosung Corporation is a Korean industrial conglomerate founded in 1957. The company operates in various fields, including the petrochemical industry, heavy equipment manufacturing, IT, trade and construction.
mrchub.com

Vitol to invest in plastics recycling company WPU

Vitol to invest in plastics recycling company WPU

MRC) -- Vitol has entered into a strategic partnership with Danish company WPU, which recycles waste plastic into plastic oils, said Hydrocarbonprocessing.

Vitol will offtake and market the recycled plastic oils generated by WPU’s new pyrolysis plant in Faarevejle in Odsherred Municipality north of Copenhagen, which is expected to open in early 2023, with an additional two plants to be opened by Q3 2023. The combined capacity of these plants will be 160,000 metric tpy of waste plastic.

Plastic can be recycled mechanically up to 6-7 times. At this point, the building blocks in the plastic are so damaged that they need to be incinerated or deposited in landfill. However, through pyrolysis WPU can now convert obsolete plastic into new products. The transformation from waste to sustainable energy is based on a technology called pyrolysis that processes the plastic at high temperatures. The plastic oils can be used in the production of new plastic products or as recycled carbon fuels.

Chris Bake, head of origination, Vitol said, “Each year over 17 MMt of waste plastic is generated in the EU, recycling plastics locally minimizes transport emissions and supports European chemicals businesses. We intend to be an integral part of Europe’s circular economy and are delighted to be taking this important step with WPU."

Niels Stielund, Chairman of the Board at WPU said, “The strategic partnership with Vitol enables WPU to continue a strong future production line. We could not have wished for a better partnership. Vitol, with its deep knowledge of the global energy markets and sustainable fuels, is in a perfect position to support us in our further development and expansion."

As per MRC, Phillips 66, Uniper and Vitol-owned VPI Immingham have signed a Memorandum of Understanding to install post-combustion CO2 capture equipment on two of VPI Immingham's three gas-fired power generators and selected processing units at the Humber and Lindsay refineries. Blue hydrogen is produced from natural gas with the addition of carbon capture. Green hydrogen is produced via electrolysis using renewable electricity to split water into hydrogen and oxygen.

We remind, Unipec and Vitol have won a tender to supply Bangladesh Petroleum Corp (BPC) with up to 1.06 million tons of oil products in the first half of 2020 after placing the lowest offers. State-owned BPC is seeking 760,000-880,000 tons of gasoil with a sulfur content of 500 parts per million, 110,000 tons of jet fuel, 40,000 tons of 180-centistoke high-sulfur fuel oil and 30,000 tons of 95-octane gasoline.

mrchub.com

Occidental signs four-year deal with Airbus for carbon credits to advance its budding energy transition business

Occidental signs four-year deal with Airbus for carbon credits to advance its budding energy transition business

Occidental Petroleum said it agreed to sell emissions-offsetting carbon credits to jet-maker Airbus under a deal that advances the US oil producer's budding energy transition business, reported Reuters.

The four-year agreement sets the stage for Occidental to go ahead on an investment decision for what would be the world's largest plant designed to suck CO2 out of the air and bury it underground, helping to mitigate global warming.

The value of the agreement was not disclosed. Occidental has scheduled an investor update on its low carbon business for Wednesday.

Occidental said construction on its direct air capture (DAC) facility is expected to begin in the second half of this year in the Permian basin, the top US shale oil field in western Texas and southeastern New Mexico. The plant's location has not been disclosed.

The plant is expected to have a carbon removal capacity 100 times bigger than all 19 DAC plants currently operating worldwide combined, according to the International Energy Agency.

The potential cost of the project has not been disclosed. Construction was expected to take around two years.

Occidental's direct air capture facility has a goal of removing 1 MMtpy of CO2 from the atmosphere, equivalent to emissions from almost 200,000 cars. A project in Iceland able to remove emissions from 790 cars was considered the world's largest one year ago.

As MRC wrote previously, Occidental Petroleum's low-carbon unit said in May 2021 it plans to construct and operate a pilot plant that would use human-made carbon dioxide, instead of hydrocarbon-sourced feedstocks, to produce bio-ethylene. The pilot plant will be jointly developed by Occidental's venture capital arm, Oxy Low Carbon Ventures LLC, and bio-engineering startup, Cemvita Factory. It is expected to start functioning in 2022. Bio-ethylene is currently made from bio-ethanol, which is made from sugarcane.

Ethylene is the main feedstock for the production of polyethylene (PE).

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.
MRC