Cost of Mexican oil refinery under construction rises about USD10 B

MOSCOW (MRC) -- The cost of a Mexican oil refinery under construction in the southern port of Dos Bocas has risen by USD900 MM to USD9.8 B because of additions to the project, reported Reuters with reference to Energy Minister Rocio Nahle's statement in an interview.

Nahle told Mexican newspaper El Universal that the increase was due to the addition of an electricity plant for the Olmeca refinery being built for state oil firm Pemex, as well as a gas pipeline and an aqueduct.

"These are part of the expansions, that's why we went further. Initially, the refinery was at USD8.9 B and with the expansion of the gas pipeline, aqueduct and combined cycle (plant), we're going to USD9.8 B," she said.

The Energy Ministry confirmed the report was correct.

Just a month ago, President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador said the refinery would cost USD9 B, speaking from the site of the facility in the eastern state of Veracruz. The refinery was originally earmarked at USD8 B, though experts estimated the final costs could be USD4 B-USD6 B higher.

As MRC informed earlier, GE Power Conversion will supply 19 electrical motors to power water-cooling tower pumps manufactured by Ruhrpumpen. The motors will support the build of a large refinery located in Dos Bocas, Mexico.
The refinery is slated to become the biggest refinery in Mexico, anticipated to produce approximately 340,000 bpd. Construction of the refinery started in June 2019, and the facility is set to commence commercial operation in late 2022. It will play a key role in Mexico’s National Refining Plan in efforts to become more energy self-sufficient.

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

MOSCOW (MRC) -- Fuhaichuang Petrochemical has selected Axens’ ebullatedbed residue hydrocracking technology (H-Oil) for a capacity of 1.5 MTA as the key unit of its residue upgrading plan in its petrochemical complex located in the port of Gulei, Fujian Province, China, said Hydrocarbonprocessing.

The project aims at producing very low sulfur fuel oil (VLSFO) meeting RMG 380 specification from vacuum residue feedstock along with middle distillates (naphtha and diesel) that will be further upgraded within the existing assets of the refinery.

Axens scope of work includes the supply of process design package, and full services from plant personnel training to unit start-up. "The H-Oil solution proposed by Axens and tailored for Fuhaichuang Petrochemical is unique in a sense that it will allow to cope with challenging targets of VLSFO production, with one single train unit without importing low sulfur cutterstock. The use of specific operating conditions, latest yet industrially proven design, and a new generation of supported catalyst from Shell Catalysts & Technologies are the main contributors for this achievement,” said Mr Wang Xiaojun, Technical Manager of Refining.

Mrs.Yu Chunyu, Director of Feed Adaptability and Debottlenecking project also said, “This project demonstrates the competitiveness of Axens to support existing refineries in improving their economic resilience by offering efficient, flexible and sustainable technology solutions."

As MRC informed earlier, in January, 2022, SOCAR HQ held a ceremony to sign licensing and design agreements for the fluid catalytic cracking (FCC) unit between the Heydar Aliyev oil refinery (HAOR) and the French company Axens as part of the HAOR modernization and reconstruction project. It is worth noting that SOCAR and Axens have a long-term co-operation. At present, the diesel hydrotreatment, gasoline hydrotreatment and C4 (butane-butylene) hydrogenation units as part of the Heydar Aliyev refinery reconstruction project, as well as the C3 (propane-propylene) hydrogenation unit as part of the reconstruction works carried out at Azerkimya PU, the naphtha hydrotreatment, diesel hydrotreatment and kerosene hydrotreatment units at the STAR refinery built in Turkey are licensed by Axens.

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

According to MRC's ScanPlast report, in 2021, 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.
mrchub.com

MOSCOW (MRC) -- NOVA Chemicals and Enerkem are advancing their versatile and energy efficient chemical recycling technology to pilot stage in Edmonton, Alberta, thanks in part to CD4.5 MM in funding from Alberta Innovates, according to Hydrocarbonprocessing.

The funding, provided through Alberta Innovates’ Technology Innovation and Emissions Reduction economic recovery program has enabled the companies to expedite construction of a pilot-scale reactor system that converts syngas produced from used, non-recyclable and non-compostable plastics to feedstocks for virgin-grade plastics.

The team has been working to achieve lower GHG emissions while significantly accelerating the upgrading process for waste materials.

“NOVA has a bold ambition to create a plastics circular economy and work to design a low carbon, zero plastic waste future,” said Greg DeKunder, VP, Polyethylene Marketing at NOVA Chemicals. “Advanced recycling technologies are a game changing component of enabling a circular economy and achieving zero plastic waste in the environment. This joint initiative with Enerkem further demonstrates that industry collaboration will be key to providing economically viable solutions for sustainable, circular plastic production.”

As MRC wrote before, earlier this month, Cyclyx International announced that NOVA Chemicals has joined as the newest member of the consortium. NOVA Chemicals develops and manufactures chemicals and plastic resins that make everyday life healthier and safer. With a focus on sustainability, NOVA Chemicals works toward polyethylene (PE) solutions that enable a more circular economy for plastics. Through its membership in Cyclyx, NOVA Chemicals will continue its work to utilize more post-use plastics in its feedstock supply chain.

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

MOSCOW (MRC) -- SABIC has completed the acquisition of Clariant’s 50% stake in specialties company Scientific Design, said the company.

The purchase makes SABIC a 100% shareholder of Scientific Design, which is a licensor of high-performance process technologies and catalysts producer.

"The acquisition will deepen SABIC’s growth in the Specialties market. Last year, SABIC repositioned its Specialties division as a stand-alone strategic business unit to unlock organic and inorganic growth opportunities that are independent of feedstock dynamics," SABIC said.

The acquisition will help SABIC meet increasing catalyst demand, increase security of supply and the level of innovation with the sector, it added. The two companies signed an agreement on the deal in early February this year.

As MRC informed previously, in January 2022, ExxonMobil and SABIC announced the successful startup of Gulf Coast Growth Ventures world-scale manufacturing facility in San Patricio County, Texas. The new facility will produce materials used in packaging, agricultural film, construction materials, clothing, and automotive coolants. The operation includes a 1.8 MM metric tpy ethane steam cracker, two polyethylene (PE) units capable of producing up to 1.3 MM metric tpy, and a monoethylene glycol (MEG) unit with a capacity of 1.1 MM metric tpy.

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.

Saudi Basic Industries Corporation (SABIC) ranks among the world's top petrochemical companies. The company is among the world's market leaders in the production of polyethylene, polypropylene and other advanced thermoplastics, glycols, methanol and fertilizers.

mrchub.com

MOSCOW (MRC) -- The board of directors of Petrobras elected Jose Mauro Coelho for a one-year term as CEO, said Reuters.

Coelho will replace Joaquim Silva e Luna. An engineer, Coelho worked from 2007-2020 at the Energy Research Co (EPE), a business formed by the government to provide it with energy statistics. Since 2020, he served as the chairman of the board of the Brazilian Business for the Administration of Oil and Natural Gas (PPSA). The move comes right after the company voted Coelho onto its board, paving the way for the government technocrat to take the helm of the firm, as under Petrobras' statutes the chief executive must be on the board to get elected.

Petrobras is also Brazil's largest refiner.

As MRC informed before, in early February, 2022, Brazil’s state-owned oil company Petrobras and Novonor (formerly Odebrecht) cancelled in “mutual agreement” its plans to sell its stake in Braskem. The announcement came after both companies declared that potential buyers did not meet expectations, without providing any further details on the matter.

We remind that Braskem is no longer pursuing a petrochemical project, which would have included an ethane cracker, in West Virginia. And the company is seeking to sell the land that would have housed the cracker. The project, announced in 2013, had been on Braskem's back burner for several years.

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, whereas shipments of PP random copolymers decreased significantly.

Headquartered in Rio de Janeiro, Petrobras is an integrated energy firm. Petrobras' activities include exploration, exploitation and production of oil from reservoir wells, shale and other rocks as well as refining, processing, trade and transport of oil and oil products, natural gas and other fluid hydrocarbons, in addition to other energy-related activities.
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