Refining, Petrochemicals, Gas Processing, Biofuels
PetroChina again selects differentiated LyondellBasell Polyethylene (PE) technology
LyondellBasell announced today that PetroChina Jilin Petrochemical Company will again license LyondellBasell’s polyethylene technology at their facility located in Jilin City, Jilin Province, P.R. of China. The newly licensed technology will comprise of LyondellBasell’s leading high-pressure Lupotech process technology which will be used for both a 100 kiloton per year (KTA) Autoclave and a 300 KTA Tubular line. Both production trains will produce mainly low-density polyethylene (LDPE) with ethylene vinyl acetate copolymers (EVA). Furthermore, an additional 400 KTA Hostalen “Advanced Cascade Process” (ACP) line for the production of high density polyethylene (HDPE) will be built at the same time.
INEOS & LOTTE to build new 250,000 tonne Vinyl Acetate Monomer (VAM) Plant in Ulsan, South Korea
LOTTE INEOS Chemical has today announced plans to increase VAM production capacity from the current 450,000 tonnes to 700,000 tonnes with the addition of a third VAM plant. The new plant is scheduled to start-up by the end of 2025.
FSRU Neptune Arrives off Lubmin, Germany
Located on the Baltic Sea coast in northeast Germany, the Port of Lubmin took delivery of the country's first floating import terminal for liquefied natural gas in December 2022. Chartered by TotalEnergies, the Neptune FSRU is now being operated by Deutsche ReGas.
Imperial Approves $720 million for Largest Renewable Diesel Facility in Canada
Imperial said today it will further help Canada achieve its net zero goals by investing about $720 million (USD $560 million) to move forward with construction of the largest renewable diesel facility in the country. The project at Imperial’s Strathcona refinery near Edmonton is expected to produce more than one billion litres of renewable diesel annually primarily from locally sourced feedstocks and could help reduce greenhouse gas emissions in the Canadian transportation sector by about 3 million metric tons per year, as determined in accordance with Canada’s Clean Fuel Regulation. Regulatory approval for the project is expected in the near term.
New PEMEX Refinery Expected to Start Crude Processing in July
The Pemex owned Dos Bocas refinery, also known as the Olmeca refinery, will begin its crude oil processing in July 2023, according to recent comments from Energy Minister Rocio Nahle. This initial capacity will be for 170,000 barrels per day, with a peak expectation of 340,000 barrels per day.
Emerson Selected to Automate Largest Ethane Cracker in Middle East
Global software and engineering leader Emerson (NYSE: EMR) will provide automation technologies, software and analytics for the Ras Laffan Petrochemical Complex in Qatar as part of a consortium with Viasat Energy Services, a division of global communications company Viasat (NASDAQ: VSAT). The $6 billion integrated polymers project, a joint venture between QatarEnergy and Chevron Phillips Chemical, is currently under construction and scheduled to go online in late 2026.
FPSO vessel for the bp-operated Greater Tortue Ahmeyim project successfully sets sail for project site
The floating production, storage and offloading (FPSO) vessel for the bp-operated Greater Tortue Ahmeyim (GTA) liquefied natural gas (LNG) project has started its journey towards the project site off the coasts of Mauritania and Senegal. The FPSO set sail on 20 January 2023 from Qidong, China after successfully completing a series of sea trials following construction over the past three and half years. It will now travel 12,000 nautical miles via Singapore to its final destination – around 40km offshore on the maritime border of the neighbouring countries.
TA’ZIZ and Proman Sign Shareholders’ Agreement to Develop UAE’s First Methanol Facility
bu Dhabi Chemicals Derivatives Company RSC Ltd (TA’ZIZ) and PROMAN AG (Proman), one of the world’s leading producers of methanol, have signed a shareholders’ agreement to develop the United Arab Emirates’ (UAE) first world-scale methanol production facility at the TA’ZIZ Industrial Chemicals Zone in Al Ruwais Industrial City, Abu Dhabi.
BASF Breaks Ground on MDI Capacity Expansion Project at Geismar Site
BASF has broken ground on the third and final phase of the methylene diphenyl diisocyanate (MDI) expansion project at its Verbund site in Geismar, Louisiana, announced in July 2022. The company will increase production capacity to approximately 600,000 metric tons per year by the middle of the decade to support the ongoing growth of its North American MDI customers.
QatarEnergy and Chevron Phillips Chemical Make a $6 Billion FID for the Ras Laffan Petrochemical Complex in Qatar
In early January 2023, QatarEnergy announced that it had made a Final Investment Decision alongside Chevron Phillips Chemical (CPChem) to build the Ras Laffan Petrochemicals Complex in Qatar for $6 billion dollars. QatarEnergy stated that this is the largest petrochemical investment in Qatar that they have ever made.
Sempra Infrastructure Receives Export Licenses for Two LNG Projects
Sempra Infrastructure, a subsidiary of Sempra today announced that Energía Costa Azul, S. de R.L. de C.V. (ECA LNG) and Vista Pacifico, S.A.P.I. de C.V. (Vista Pacifico LNG) received authorization from the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) to re-export U.S.-sourced liquefied natural gas (LNG) from Mexico to non-Free Trade Agreement (FTA) nations. The DOE's significant action is an important milestone for these two development projects, which now are each one step closer to supporting the world's energy security and environmental goals.
Technip Energies Awarded a Proprietary Equipment Contract by Chevron Phillips Chemical and QatarEnergy for the Golden Triangle Polymers Ethane Cracker
Technip Energies has been awarded a contract for the supply of proprietary cracking furnaces for the 2,000 kta(2) ethane cracker for the Golden Triangle Polymers project, a joint venture between Chevron Phillips Chemical (CPChem) and QatarEnergy, along the Gulf Coast in Orange, Texas.
Unique Crude-to-Chemicals Technology Set to Deploy in First Commercial Development
Lummus Technology, a global provider of process technologies and value-driven energy solutions, today announced that its licensed TC2CTM crude-to-chemicals technology will move forward in its first commercial deployment through S-Oil’s Shaheen Project in South Korea.
Aramco, Sinopec and SABIC expand refining and petrochemical cooperation
The Saudi Arabian Oil Company (“Aramco” or “the Company”), one of the world’s leading integrated energy and chemicals companies, China Petroleum and Chemical Corporation (“Sinopec”) and SABIC, are exploring collaboration across refining and petrochemical projects in China and Saudi Arabia.
Report: Global Investment Financing Trends Rebound
Are global and regional foreign direct investment (FDI) trends favorable for those investing in new pipelines or redeveloping existing ones? The United Nations Conference on Trade and Development’s (UNCTAD’s) “World Investment Report 2022” answers that question. According to Richard Bolwijn, UNCTAD’s head of the Investment Research Branch, his organization’s work is now focused on providing investors with a clear view into both trends. It presents key national and international investment policy developments that will affect investments into pipelines.
Aramco and TotalEnergies to build a giant petrochemical complex in Saudi Arabia
The Saudi Arabian Oil Company (“Aramco”) and TotalEnergies have taken the final investment decision for the construction of a world scale petrochemical facility in Saudi Arabia. The “Amiral” complex will be owned, operated, and integrated with the existing SATORP refinery located in Jubail on Saudi Arabia’s eastern coast. The investment decision is subject to customary closing conditions and approvals.
Eni, Euglena and PETRONAS to Explore Biorefinery Opportunity in Malaysia
Eni, Euglena and Petroliam Nasional Berhad (PETRONAS) today announced that they are jointly studying the possibility of developing and operating a biorefinery in the Pengerang Integrated Complex (PIC), one of the largest integrated refinery and petrochemical developments in Southeast Asia.
INEOS and SINOPEC sign Joint Venture agreement for a brand new petrochemicals complex in Tianjin, China
INEOS and SINOPEC have today announced a new Joint Venture agreement that will see INEOS acquire a 50% share in the existing Tianjin Nangang Ethylene Project from SINOPEC. The project is currently building a 1.2 million tonne ethane cracker, expected to come on-stream at the end of 2023, and downstream derivative plants in Tianjin, China.
ExxonMobil doubles polypropylene production at Baton Rouge
ExxonMobil today announced the successful startup of its new polypropylene production unit at the Polyolefins Plant in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.
Axens Achieved the Guaranteed Performance of its First Ethanol-to-Ethylene Atol® Plant with Sumitomo Chemical
In May 2022, Axens have demonstrated the successful start-up of the first ethanol-to-ethylene pilot plant based on Axens Atol® technology with Sumitomo Chemical, which is going on the waste-to-polyolefins project in Japan. At full rollout, this project will attain the production of waste-based polyolefin at industrial scale, representing a step forward towards a circular economy based on renewable carbon.
Technip Energies Awarded a Contract for Sustainable Aviation Fuels Production at TotalEnergies Grandpuits Zero-Crude Platform in France
Technip Energies (PARIS:TE) has been awarded a contract by TotalEnergies for the production of Sustainable Aviation Fuels (SAF) at Grandpuits platform in France.
SABIC to Study Oil-to-Chemicals Project in Ras Al-Khair
SABIC, a global leader in diversified chemicals, announced on Wednesday its intention to study the establishment of a complex to convert oil and liquids into petrochemicals in Ras Al-Khair in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
QatarEnergy Takes Final Investment Decision on the Largest Integrated Polymers Facility in the World
QatarEnergy and Chevron Phillips Chemical Company LLC (CPChem) announced that they have taken a Final Investment Decision (FID) on the Golden Triangle Polymers Plant, an $8.5 billion world-scale integrated polymers facility in the Texas Gulf Coast area in the United States of America.
Shell Begins Operations at Polymers Plant in Pennsylvania
Shell Chemical Appalachia LLC, a subsidiary of Shell plc, today announced it has commenced operations of its Pennsylvania Chemical project, Shell Polymers Monaca (SPM). The Pennsylvania facility is the first major polyethylene manufacturing complex in the Northeastern United States and has a designed output of 1.6 million tonnes annually.
KIPIC Begins Initial Phase of Al Zour Refinery
Kuwait Integrated Petroleum Industries Co (KIPIC) has reportedly stated that the first phase of Al-Zour refinery has started commercial operations, according to state news agency KUNA.
Site Construction Underway at TA’ZIZ and Next Major Phase of Growth Launched
Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC) and ADQ, the majority shareholders in TA’ZIZ, launched, today, the next phase of growth at the TA’ZIZ Industrial Chemicals Zone, in Al Ruways Industrial City, which will more than double the number of chemicals produced at the industrial hub.
Share LyondellBasell Spheripol technology selected by Stavian Quang Yen Petrochemical
yondellBasell today announced that its leading polypropylene (PP) technology has been selected by Stavian Quang Yen Petrochemical, Ltd. (Stavian) for a new world scale production facility.
Global Leader in Decarbonization Announces Order for its System 1000 Syngas Production Package
SunGas Renewables Inc. (“SunGas”), a global provider of gasification systems for low-carbon fuel production, today announced an agreement with Arbor Renewable Gas,™ LLC (“Arbor Gas”) for supply of its SunGas™ System 1000 technology and equipment package to Arbor Gas’ Spindletop Renewable Gasoline Project located in Beaumont, Texas. SunGas is an outgrowth from GTI Energy, an organization advancing decarbonization through the economy-wide transformation of energy systems.
Topsoe Chosen to Support Federated Co-operatives Limited in Establishing Renewable Diesel Production in Saskatchewan, Canada
Topsoe, a global leader in carbon emission reduction technologies, has been selected by Federated Co-operatives Limited (FCL) to officially support the production of renewable diesel in Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada. FCL has chosen Topsoe’s HydroFlexTM process to produce low-carbon renewable diesel.
Thyssenkrupp Uhde Selected for Major Clean Ammonia Plant Project in the USA
Thyssenkrupp Uhde has been selected as technology provider and partner for a new “Clean Ammonia” plant planned by Nutrien, the world's largest provider of crop inputs and services. Subject to Nutrien’s final investment decision, anticipated in 2023, the plant will have a capacity of 3,500 metric tons/day and be built at Nutrien’s Geismar, Louisiana, USA facility. More than 90% of the CO2 emissions will be captured and stored (Carbon Capture and Storage).
