Nuberg EPC wins IOCL’s Propylene Purification Package with Skid Mounted Technology Deployment

Nuberg EPC, the global engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) company, has been awarded the PPP contract by Indian Oil Corporation Ltd. (IOCL) for the design, engineering, manufacturing, supply and commissioning of a Propylene Purification Package at IOCL Panipat Refinery, Haryana, India, said Hydrocarbonprocessing.

The project is part of IOCL’s expansion plan to increase the refinery capacity from 15 MMTPA to 25 MMTPA. The project is expected to be completed in 18 months (one and a half years). This is Nuberg EPC’s first project in the propylene purification segment and demonstrates its capability to execute complex and challenging projects in the oil and gas sector.

It's the first Propylene Purification Package that will be skid mounted / modular in nature to facilitate easy installation and operation. Nuberg EPC will use regenerative and sacrificial adsorbent technology to purify propylene from the refinery off-gas stream. The purified propylene will be used as a feedstock for producing polymers, which are widely used in various industries such as packaging, textiles, automotive, etc.

This is the fourth project that Nuberg EPC is executing for IOCL in India, demonstrating its strong partnership and expertise in the oil and gas sector. Nuberg EPC is also involved in setting up India’s first hydrogen fuel dispensing station, a bio-ethanol plant, and a sulfur recovery unit (SRU) for IOCL at various locations. These projects are part of IOCL’s vision to diversify its product portfolio and adopt cleaner and greener fuels. Nuberg EPC is committed to delivering these projects with high standards of quality, safety, and efficiency.

The scope of work for Nuberg EPC includes the design, engineering, manufacturing, assembly, inspection, testing, supply and supervision of erection, commissioning and performance guarantee testing of the Propylene Purification Package. The package will consist of various equipment such as pressure vessels, heat exchangers, compressors, motors, electric heaters, air cooled heat exchangers, etc. Nuberg EPC’s process equipment manufacturing facility in Gujarat will supply equipment for the project.

Nuberg EPC’s proven global execution experience and in-house strengths of driving technology-oriented projects has already made her a global leader for executing turnkey projects worldwide. The company has also set-up and commissioned multiple plants in Chemicals & Fertilizers, Hydrocarbon, Green Energy, Steel, and Nuclear & Defense industries globally. Being a responsible global corporate citizen, Nuberg EPC is committed to innovating world class technologies and processes. The company is actively delivering projects globally leveraging its Indian strengths and is expanding its footprints in Hydrogen – Green, Grey and Blue; 2G & 3G Ethanol, Water Electrolysis, Water Soluble Fertilizers and Next Generation Nutrients, in addition to traditional strengths.

mrchub.com

Wacker Chemie started the construction of several new production lines to expand its specialty silicone manufacturing capacities at the Zhangjiagang site in Jiangsu Province, China, said Chemanager-online.

At the site, which is one of Wacker’s largest fully integrated production sites, the globally operating chemical group will produce functional silicone fluids, silicone emulsions and silicone elastomer gels. Investments of some €150?million are planned for the expansion project, Wacker said.

“This expansion project is our largest single investment in Zhangjiagang since the site was officially commissioned in 2010,” said Alvin Hu, president of Wacker China. “Demand from customers in China is growing steadily,” he added, “especially for innovative specialty silicones.”

Christian Kirsten, Wacker’s executive board member responsible for the group’s global silicone business, commented: “Silicone fluids, emulsions and gels are used in many kinds of applications today, which is why we anticipate growth to continue. Expanding capacity in Zhangjiagang is a logical next step in the group’s strategy of continuing to make specialty silicones a bigger part of its product portfolio.”

The project has already received all necessary permits from local authorities. The new facilities are scheduled to come on stream in the second half of 2025.

We remind, Wacker Chemie is expanding its vinyl acetate-ethylene copolymer (VAE) dispersions production facilities by 85,000 t/y at its Calvert City, Kentucky site in the US. The additional capacity is expected to be in the market in the second half of this year.

mrchub.com

Arkema plans a two-and-a-half-fold increase of its organic peroxide production capacities at the Changshu site in China, said Chemanager-online.

This investment of around €50 million, the company said, will enable it to support its Asian customers in fast-growing markets, particularly in renewable energies.

According to Arkema, its Luperox brand of organic peroxides are used as niche additives fulfilling a critical mission as reaction initiators for a wide range of polymers and in particular play an important role in the energy transition as vital components in the manufacture of photovoltaic panels. With this significant investment in Changshu (China), Arkema will support the strong expansion of Asian producers serving a fast-growing global market.

This expansion of the group's organic peroxide activities in China complements the 70% increase in its organic peroxide capacity in India announced in 2022, as well as the doubling of capacity at the Luperox 101 plant in Gunzburg, Germany, which started up this summer. These projects, said Arkema, had notably enabled the industrial validation of several new and more efficient technologies, significantly reducing the environmental footprint of the organic peroxides business.

Commissioning of the new plant expansion in Changshu, for which the groundbreaking ceremony took place in September, is expected in early 2025.

Laurent Tellier, senior vice-president of Arkema’s Performance Additives business, commented: “With this investment in China, we are strengthening our position as a major producer of niche additives for sustainable development, with an industrial expansion that will incorporate our most efficient technologies in terms of environmental footprint.”

We remind, Arkema has doubled capacity for its Reafree-branded powder polyester resins at its Navi Mumbai facility in India. The French chemical producer said the upgrade reinforces its leadership position in the global powder coatings market and its commitment to developing very low-VOC technologies.

mrchub.com

Middle distillates inventories at key storage hub Singapore hit a more than six-month high as the city-state turned net importer of jet fuel/kerosene despite an increase in gasoil outflows to the West, official data showed, said Hydrocarbonprocessing.

Stock levels of gasoil and jet fuel/kerosene rose 4.1% to 9.374 million barrels for the week to Sept. 27, compared with 9.001 million barrels a week ago, the data from Enterprise Singapore showed on Thursday.

China jet fuel barrels resurfaced for the first time in almost two months, in line with earlier market expectations, as state-owned oil majors cash in on profits for exports. The trend is expected to continue into October, with at least 84,000 metric tons of the aviation fuel already expected to load from China to Singapore, shiptracking data Kpler showed.

Shipping enquiries are present for at least 35,000 tons of jet fuel loading from north China to Singapore in the market as well, one shipbroking source said. Total jet fuel exports however paled in comparison, with around 28,000 tons heading to Australia for the week.

Gasoil wise, net exports were three fold from last week, as total exports surged by more than 70% week on week, data showed. Major outflows were to Austalia and New Zealand, likewise the past few months, but some exports to the West and Africa emerged as well supporting total exports.

The emergence of exports to the West was attributed to a slightly wider east-west arbitrage in first-half September of up to a discount of $86 a ton, which could have encouraged some sellers to pull their cargoes there, one Singapore-based trade source said.

Exports to South Africa could continue into October, following some slight changes in tradeflow should the Russian ban on low-sulfur diesel continue, a second source said. Total imports however climbed as well, with imports from China being the key contributor.

Likewise jet fuel/kerosene, more gasoil cargoes from China are likely to start landing in Singapore the next few weeks given the availability of export quotas. At least three more 60,000 ton of gasoil cargoes will arrive in Singapore the next two weeks from China, LSEG shiptracking data showed.

Thailand exports to Singapore also emerged for the first time in a month, the data showed.

We remind, INEOS has announced it has reached an agreement with Eastman Chemical Company to purchase the Eastman Texas City site, including the 600kt Acetic Acid plant and all associated third party activities on the site, for circa USD500 mln. Eastman and INEOS have also entered into a Memorandum of Understanding to explore options for a long-term supply agreement for vinyl acetate monomer.

mrchub.com

DuPont officially opened its new adhesives production facility in Zhangjiagang (ZJG), eastern China, on Wednesday, said Chemanager-online.

The new facility will produce adhesives to serve customers in the transportation industry, primarily in lightweighting and fast-growing vehicle electrification applications, the company said.

According to DuPont, the facility, with capacity to serve regional needs, offers state-of-the-art process capability and quality, technical support, and excellent access to transportation for shipping and logistics advantages. The site includes a manufacturing execution system (MES), designed to optimize the manufacturing process and connect all aspects of the manufacturing workflow, making the production process visible, trackable, and more reliable.

“We are thrilled to open this new manufacturing site with its state-of-the-art equipment, innovative products and outstanding colleagues,” said Tina Wu, global vice president of DuPont Adhesives & Fluids, Tedlar and Multibase. “The new ZJG facility will further advance our position as a leading provider of auto electrification solutions and enhance our offerings to customers in China and the Asian market.”

“The unique geographic advantages of the Zhangjiagang Free Trade Zone, located in Zhangjiagang City, are key to attracting high-quality investments from many leading global and local companies,” said Cai Jianfeng, Mayor of Zhangjiagang. “The opening of DuPont’s new facility marks a deepening of its collaboration with our city as well as its commitment to operating in China. This advanced manufacturing hub will accelerate growth in the region and reinforce competitiveness.”

We remind, DuPont de Nemours Inc. closed the sale of its USD1.75 billion acquisition of medical device manufacturer Spectrum Plastics Group, the company announced. DuPont bought the manufacturer from private equity firm AEA Investors, which acquired Spectrum in 2018.

mrchub.com