CPC buys first crude with carbon offset from SOCAR

Taiwan's state refiner, CPC Corp, said it has received the country's first crude cargo with certified carbon offset from SOCAR Trading, the trading arm of Azerbaijan's state oil company, said Reuters.

The refiner is seeking to reduce its carbon footprint through voluntary carbon offsets as Taiwan aims to become carbon neutral by 2050. The cargo of about 1.05 MM barrels of Azeri Light crude oil arrived in Taiwan on Sunday morning with cradle-to-gate greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions being offset with carbon credits certified by the Verified Carbon Standard (VCS), CPC said on its website.

Cradle-to-gate GHG emissions refer to emissions from the development, production and processing of the oil to its transportation by pipeline ship to Taiwan. The GHG emissions were calculated with Deloitte and Siglar Carbon, CPC said.

SOCAR Trading arranged and structured VCS registered carbon offset supply and retirement, the refiner said, without elaborating on the cost of the offset.

The credits were issued less than six years ago, with the majority derived from nature-based projects that also have additional Climate, Community and Biodiversity (CCB) accreditation, CPC added. Intertek and Climate Neutral Commodity certified the trade as carbon neutral, CPC said.

CPC operates two refineries at Taoyuan and Dalin in Taiwan with a combined refining capacity of 600,000 bPD.

As per MRC, SOCAR’s Heydar Aliyev oil refinery is undergoing modernization and reconstruction process to increase the refining capacity, provide the country with high-quality Euro-5 fuel, minimize environmental impact, ensure Azerikimya’s stable feedstock supply and raise export capacity of oil products. As part of the project, the refinery implements operational excellence and sustainability program to determine its performance for 2022 in accordance with the maintenance while developing the comprehensive action plan.
mrchub.com

Flemish Minister of Environment Zuhal Demir has granted the environmental permit to INEOS Olefins Belgium for Project One, said the company.

This clears the way for the construction and operation of the most sustainable steam cracker in Europe. Preparatory works for the construction are anticipated to start this summer.

In developing this production site in Antwerp, INEOS Olefins Belgium will comply with the most stringent environmental regulations. The site will contribute to the renewal and sustainability of the chemical cluster in Flanders. The ethane cracker of Project ONE will have the lowest carbon footprint in Europe: three times lower than the average European steam cracker and less than half of that of the 10% best performers in Europe.

John McNally, CEO INEOS Project ONE, stated: I would like to thank the Minister for her decision. In doing so, Flanders is showing that it is supportive of sustainable investments and economic growth. We have set the bar high and submitted a solid and comprehensive permit. I am proud for our entire team that these efforts have been rewarded with a favourable decision. The urgency of tackling the climate problem is now clear to everyone. With Project ONE, we do not want to stand on the sidelines as an industrial player, but want to make a fundamental difference now. By consistently opting for the best available technologies in our design, we are establishing a new environmental standard within our sector.

As per MRC, INEOS Styrolution, the global leader in styrenics, has announced the introduction of its new Styrolution® PS ECO 260 MR85 grade containing mechanically recycled post-consumer waste. This grade is available across markets in Asia at commercial scale with immediate effect. The new Styrolution PS ECO 260 MR85 contains 85 percent recycled post-consumer content from waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE). It offers identical mechanical properties as virgin HIPS equivalent, including very good mechanical performance, consistency and high fluidity, making it an excellent drop-in solution for application developers in the household and electronics industries.

We remind that in April 2021, INEOS Styrolution, Recycling Technologies and Trinseo announced that they had reached a significant milestone in their plans to build commercial polystyrene (PS) recycling plants in Europe. Recycling Technologies has been selected as the technology partner.

INEOS Styrolution is the leading global styrenics supplier, with a focus on styrene monomer, polystyrene, ABS Standard and styrenic specialties. With world-class production facilities and more than 90 years of experience, INEOS Styrolution helps its customers succeed by offering solutions, designed to give them a competitive edge in their markets. At the same time, these innovative and sustainable best-in-class solutions help make the circular economy for styrenics a reality. The company provides styrenic applications for many everyday products across a broad range of industries, including automotive, electronics, household, construction, healthcare, packaging and toys/sports/leisure. In 2020, sales were at 4 billion euros. INEOS Styrolution employs approximately 3,600 people and operates 20 production sites in ten countries.
mrchub.com

Borealis (Vienna, Austria) has announced several deals for its certified renewable feedstock range for use in polypropylene (PP) and polyethene (PE) packaging and pipeline products, said the company.

Borealis, one of the world’s leading providers of advanced and circular polyolefin solutions and a European market leader in base chemicals and fertilizers, has announced that Nupi Industrie Italiane (NUPI) has selected the ™ polypropylene (PP) for the next generation of their PP-RCT (Polypropylene Random Crystalline Structure Temperature) piping solutions for domestic plumbing, heating as well as heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems designed to perform under higher stress conditions and temperatures. Manufactured with renewable feedstock, Bornewables PP offer the same material performance as virgin PP yet decoupled from fossil-based feedstock.

The partnership positions NUPI as a front-runner in the market, getting ready for the time when legislation will require the use of renewable materials in pipe production, and makes the company the first pipe supplier in Italy relying on mass balanced Bornewables PP accredited under the International Sustainability & Carbon Certification Plus (ISCC PLUS) scheme. It also aligns with Borealis’ ™ activities and initiatives to advance the circularity of plastics through partnerships across the value chain and connects with Borealis Pipe’s commitment for ‘Enabling life’s essentials.

As per MRC, Borealis and Austria's leading energy company, VERBUND, are pleased to announce the installation of a new photovoltaic (PV) array at Borealis production location in Linz, Austria. The investment is in line with the Borealis aim to enhance the sustainability of its own operations while also supporting the Upper Austria Photovoltaic Strategy for 2030. Rooftop PV arrays are among the cleanest ways to generate renewable energy.

We remind, Borealis (Vienna), a leading producer of polyolefins, has delayed the start-up of a new, world-scale propane dehydrogenation (PDH) plant at its existing production site at Kallo, Belgium, which is the company's biggest investment in Europe, until Q3 2023, citing Covid-19. The plant in Kallo in the port of Antwerp was previously targeted to begin operations by the end of next year.
mrchub.com

Thousands of South Korean truckers were on strike for the seventh day on Monday, protesting over pay as fuel costs surge, disrupting production, slowing port operations and posing new risks to a strained global supply chain, said Hydrocarbonprocessing.

South Korean industries, including auto, steel, petrochemical and cement, faced accumulated losses worth about 1.6 T won (USD1.2 B) as of Sunday due to the ongoing trucker strike, the industry ministry said. Following are details of the disruption, lost production and reactions from union officials and businesses.

The trucker strike had cost the South Korean auto industry about 5,400 vehicles in lost production, worth about 257 B won as of Sunday, according to the industry ministry. Hyundai's Ulsan factories makes about 6,000 vehicles daily, the union said. The strike had cost the automaker more than 3,800 vehicles as of Friday - worth up to 120 B won, according to the company's union.

Some employees at Hyundai Motor and affiliate Kia Corp were using newly assembled cars to make deliveries, customers told Reuters. Hyundai Motor Group's spokesperson was not immediately available for comment. Hankook Tire & Technology Co Ltd, supplier to major automakers such as Volkswagen AG and Mercedes-Benz Group AG, has seen daily shipments fall by about 50%, a spokesperson said.

The industry ministry estimated that about 640,000 tires worth about 57 B won had faced shipping issues as of Sunday. The truckers plan to stop shipments of raw materials for semiconductors produced in Ulsan, said union official Park Jeong-tae.

Samsung Electronics Co Ltd and SK Hynix Inc , two of the world's biggest memory chip makers, declined to comment. One major tech manufacturer does not expect near-term disruptions given its inventories of raw materials, said an official at the manufacturer on condition of anonymity.

Steelmaker POSCO said it halted work at some plants on Monday due to a lack of space to store unshipped products. About 450,000 tons of steel products worth about 698 billion won have faced transport issues due to the strike.

The Korea Cement Association estimated daily revenue losses of about 15 B won for the cement industry since the strike began last Tuesday. The industry ministry estimated that the strike had cost cement companies about 75 B won as of Sunday.

S.Korea's average daily shipments of about 74,000 metric tons of petrochemical products have been slashed by 90% since the strike, the Korea Petrochemical Industry Association said. The strike had cost the country's petrochemical sector about 500 billion won as of Friday, according to the industry ministry. South Korea has the world's fifth-largest refining capacity.

As per MRC, S-Oil Corporation has brought the residual fluidization catalytic cracking plant (RFCC) online. S-Oil Corporation has brought the residual fluidization catalytic cracking plant (RFCC) online on 24 May 2022, four days after an explosion rocked the company’s refinery unit in Ulsan, forcing the maker to take all downstream plants offline as a safety measure. The RFCC plant has an annual output of 200,000 tons of propylene. CommoPlast is unable to rectify the operating status at other downstream plants at the time of this report.
mrchub.com

Solvay just launched the Kalix 10000 series, an ideal structural material for precision electronics components used in smart devices, to complement its Kalix product line, said the company.

The newest HPPA-based material is set to take both performance and sustainability to the next level. The Kalix 10000 series, a partially bio-based material made with renewable feedstock from non-food competing sources, is produced with 100% renewable electricity. Available with a wide range of recycled content alternatives for diverse customer needs, it also has a lower global warming potential (GWP) than traditional polyamides. Additionally, it offers higher heat resistance, stain resistance, and lowest moisture absorption in the Kalix® families, making it suitable for use in electronic applications with more demanding customer requirements.

“Our Kalix portfolio has seen high demand, as it delivers the highest elongation and weld line strength of all HPPA, as well as great stiffness and chemical resistance. It also shows low moisture absorption, which makes it an ideal structural material for precision electronics components,” said Andrew Lau, Senior Executive Vice President of Solvay Materials. “The Kalix® 10000 series further strengthens the Kalix® family as it not only exceeds the performance demands of structural and cosmetic frames for smartphones, but it also is a more sustainable solution that meets evolving customer needs."

The average lifespan of consumer devices, and the parts that go into them, have been rapidly decreasing. Vast amounts of waste will continue to be generated and cause sustainability challenges. Solvay has developed advanced technologies to help manufacturers close the loop between product design and production execution on the factory floor. With a multitude of sustainable materials solutions that address various market needs, the company is working to put our society on a fast track towards more circular solutions.

As per MRC, Solvay, a leading global supplier of specialty polymers, announces the production of the new generation solvent Rhodiasolv IRIS, with eco-friendly properties. Previously manufactured in China, this solvent will now be produced from 2023 onwards at Solvay's Melle site, France.

We also remind that in August, 2020, through the acquisition of the Solvay polyamide (PA) business, BASF enhanced its R&D capabilities in Asia Pacific with new technologies, technical expertise, and upgraded material and part testing services. BASF is planning to integrate the R&D centers from Solvay into its R&D existing facilities in Shanghai, China, and Seoul, Korea. The enhanced capabilities will boost BASF’s position as a solution provider to develop advanced material solutions for key industries.

Solvay is a science company whose technologies bring benefits to many aspects of daily life. With more than 24,100 employees in 64 countries, Solvay bonds people, ideas and elements to reinvent progress. The Group seeks to create sustainable shared value for all, notably through its Solvay One Planet plan crafted around three pillars: protecting the climate, preserving resources and fostering better life. The Group’s innovative solutions contribute to safer, cleaner, and more sustainable products found in homes, food and consumer goods, planes, cars, batteries, smart devices, health care applications, water and air purification systems. Founded in 1863, Solvay today ranks among the world’s top three companies for the vast majority of its activities.
mrchub.com