KBR develops new propane dehydrogenation technology

KBR Inc has developed a new propane dehydrogenation (PDH) technology (K-PRO) that offers high propylene selectivity and conversion. This technology is based on KBR's catalytic olefins technology (K-COT) which is a commercially proven fluidized-bed technology for converting low-value olefinic, paraffinic or mixed streams into high-value propylene and ethylene.

K-PRO delivers significant capital cost and operating cost advantages when compared with conventional designs. This arises from its fluidized-bed design which delivers reliable operation and high on-stream factors when compared with fixed or moving bed reactors.

K-PRO technology combines the know-how and experience of K-COT with a novel high selectivity, low-cost, dehydrogenation catalyst that does not require precious metals. Plants based on this new technology will be designed as stand-alone propylene production units independent of a steam cracker or an FCC unit. Additionally, existing PDH operating units can be easily modified to benefit from the superior process performance and lower operating cost.

Read more: KBR develops new propane dehydrogenation technology

Covestro breaks ground on new production line in Thailand

Covestro AG has started to build up a new manufacturing line for polycarbonate films at Map Ta Phut Industrial Estate, Thailand. With this new capacity, the company will serve the fast-growing demand in Asia Pacific and strengthen its own position as a market leader. The project is the first step of a global capacity increase for Covestro´s film production. The total investment of more than €100 million also includes an expansion of the associated infrastructure and logistics.

“Our existing films plant in Map Ta Phut has been a high-performing and valued facility. Our main objective with this expansion is to intensify our collaboration with customers in Asia Pacific, in particular, to improve efficiency and punctual delivery. With market-focused innovations and a stronger customer orientation we want to drive growth for Covestro,” said Dr Thorsten Dreier, global head of Covestro´s specialty films business.

Read more: Covestro breaks ground on new production line in Thailand

Karnataka: 4 dead, 3 injured in distillery boiler blast

Four people died and three others were injured in a boiler blast at Nirani Sugars Limited at Mudhola, Karnataka’s Bagalkot district. The injured workers are shifted to the nearby hospital for treatment.

The sugar factory unit is part of the Nirani Group and is owned by the Nirani brothers — former BJP minister Murugesh Nirani and his brothers.

The police said that the explosion appeared to be at the safety valve of an effluent treatment plant. The whole building were the boilers were installed had fallen due to the impact, police said, adding that investigations were on into the matter

Read more: Karnataka: 4 dead, 3 injured in distillery boiler blast

Praxair to supply industrial gases to Shanghai Huayi

Praxair Inc, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Linde plc said that it will supply oxygen and other industrial gases to Shanghai Huayi. The complex will manufacture methanol, acetic acid and other chemicals.

Praxair will build, own and operate three air separation units that will supply up to 7,500 tons per day (TPD) of oxygen and 5,000 TPD of nitrogen to the site. The new plants will start up in the second half of 2020 and the complex is expected to be Praxair’s largest investment in China to date.

Read more: Praxair to supply industrial gases to Shanghai Huayi

Laser technique may open door to more efficient clean energy

Research by the University of Liverpool could help scientists unlock the full potential of new clean energy technologies.

Finding sustainable ways to replace fossil fuels is a key priority for researchers across the globe. Carbon dioxide (CO2) is a hugely abundant waste product that can be converted into energy-rich by-products, such as carbon monoxide.  However, this process needs to be made far more efficient for it to work on a global, industrial scale.

Electrocatalysts have shown promise as a potential way to achieve this required efficiency ‘step-change’ in CO2 reduction, but the mechanisms by which they operate are often unknown making it hard for researchers to design new ones in a rational manner.

New research published in the journal Nature Catalysis by researchers at the University’s Department of Chemistry, in collaboration with Beijing Computational Science Research Center and STFC Rutherford Appleton Laboratory, demonstrates a laser-based technique that can be used to study the electrochemical reduction of CO2 in-situ and provide much-needed insights into these complex chemical pathways.

Read more: Laser technique may open door to more efficient clean energy

FMC CEO wins 2019 International Palladium Medal award

The Societe de Chimie Industrielle said that it will award the 2019 International Palladium Medal to FMC Corporation chairman and CEO Pierre Brondeau.

Brondeau will receive the award for his contributions to the chemical industry and his leadership in enhancing the international aims and objectives of the Societe de Chimie Industrielle. He will receive the award on May 22, 2019.

Read more: FMC CEO wins 2019 International Palladium Medal award

TechnipFMC wins EPC contract for MIDOR refinery

TechnipFMC has signed a major Engineering, Procurement, and Construction (EPC) contract by Middle East Oil Refinery (MIDOR) for the modernization and expansion of their existing complex near Alexandria, Egypt. 

This EPC contract covers the debottlenecking of existing units as well as the delivery of new units including a Crude Distillation Unit, a Vacuum Distillation Unit, a hydrogen production facility based on our steam reforming technology, as well as various process units, interconnecting, offsites and utilities.

Starting in 2022, the modernized complex will exclusively produce Euro V products, with a 60 percent increase in the refinery’s original capacity to 160,000 barrels per day of crude oil. 

Read more: TechnipFMC wins EPC contract for MIDOR refinery

Lubrizol plans $25 million expansion at Kentucky plant

The Lubrizol Corporation said that it will invest more than $25 million in its Calvert City, Kentucky manufacturing facility.

The facility specializes in the production of Carbopol polymers and Pemulen(TM) polymeric emulsifiers. These polymers are used in consumer goods for personal care, home care, and pharmaceutical markets. This expansion will include advanced, proprietary process technology that will allow the Calvert City facility to continue to provide Lubrizol's partners with high-quality products.

Read more: Lubrizol plans $25 million expansion at Kentucky plant

CropEnergies to pause production at UK ethanol plant

CropEnergies AG said that will pause bioethanol production at its Wilton plant, UK, from the end of November 2018 on, due to low prices.

The company adjusts its outlook for the current financial year 2018/19 due to ethanol prices – both spot and forward prices – which have significantly fallen in the last few days contrary to all expectations.

Read more: CropEnergies to pause production at UK ethanol plant

P2 Science starts commercial production of renewable C9 aldehyde

P2 Science Inc, a bio-renewable chemistry company has produced the first ever commercial quantities of BioNonanal, at its new plant in Naugatuck.

BioNonanal is a 100 percent renewable, vegetable-based linear C9 aldehyde, commonly used in fragrances to impart waxy, citrus and floral notes to consumer products in both household and personal care markets.

To date, nonanal has been mainly produced from a petrochemical, Octene. The only option for a renewable nonanal has been via a costly extraction process from certain essential oils such as orange oil. The resulting cost of such a natural extract nonanal made it impractical to use in most fragrance applications. P2’s patented green chemistry process enables the efficient conversion of many common vegetable oils into nonanal and other valuable speciality products for use in cosmetics and related applications.

Read more: P2 Science starts commercial production of renewable C9 aldehyde

MHI wins fertilizer plant construction contract in Bangladesh

Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Ltd (MHI), together with China National Chemical Engineering No.7 Construction Co Ltd, have signed a fertilizer plant construction project for Bangladesh Chemical Industries Corporation.

This will be the largest fertilizer plant in Bangladesh, with production capacity of 2,800 tonnes per day. The project will be managed through an EPC (engineering, procurement and construction) contracting arrangement, with completion scheduled for 2022.

Read more: MHI wins fertilizer plant construction contract in Bangladesh

Kraiburg presents new TPE for soft-touch surfaces

Kraiburg TPE presented a new thermoplastic elastomers series specially developed for decorated surfaces that appeal to the touch and for functional parts inside motor vehicles’ cabins.

Design flexibility, cost-effective processability, and flawless surface quality are a must when it comes to the properties of high-performance materials for high-quality automotive interior parts. The specific compounds also comply with all of the industry’s strict regulations that stipulate the long-term behaviour of applications in this sophisticated environment.

The compounds of the new FG/SF THERMOLAST K series comply with all established automotive standards set by OEMs with regard to the emission and odour behaviour of components for vehicle cabins including DIN 75201-B (G) and VDA 278 on fogging and VOC (volatile organic compound) as well as VDA 270 Var. 3 (odour behaviour dependent on temperature and climatic influences). In addition, the compounds provide permanent UV stability, which is confirmed by comprehensive independent tests in accordance with DIN EN ISO 105-B06.

Read more: Kraiburg presents new TPE for soft-touch surfaces

Vertellus appoints former PolyOne exec as next CEO

Vertellus has appointed former president of PolyOne’s global colour and additives business as its next CEO. Effective immediately, John Van Hulle brings to Vertellus more than three decades of leadership experience in the speciality chemical and plastics industries serving business sectors.

Read more: Vertellus appoints former PolyOne exec as next CEO

Unilever, Veolia join forces on sustainable packaging

Unilever and Veolia have signed a collaboration agreement to jointly work on emerging technologies that will help create a circular economy on plastics across various geographies, starting in India and Indonesia.

In reaching this important agreement, Unilever and Veolia acknowledge that the issue of plastic waste is a shared responsibility that requires bold action across the value chain to develop and scale up collection and reprocessing infrastructure, which is critical in the transition towards a circular economy.

The work will focus on material collection, which will help channel recycled content back into the value chain. Veolia will work with Unilever to implement used packaging collection solutions, add recycling capacity and develop new processes and business models through this partnership in various countries.

Read more: Unilever, Veolia join forces on sustainable packaging

Givaudan opens $2.89 mn commercial centre in Indonesia

Givaudan has officially opened a new CHF 2.9 million ($2.89 million) commercial and development centre in Jakarta. The centre is designed to deliver a superior level of creative flavour, taste and fragrance solutions.

The new 2,600 square metres centre will enable Givaudan to serve customers across a wide range of food, beverage and consumer good segments including, sweet goods, savoury, snacks, beverages, fine fragrances, personal care, home care and fabric care.

Read more: Givaudan opens $2.89 mn commercial centre in Indonesia

Sika opens new concrete admixture plant in Russia

Sika has opened a new production plant for concrete admixtures near Yekaterinburg, Russia. In the area around the plant, there are five cities with populations of over one million and attractive construction markets. Large parts of the Volga region and Siberia can also be supplied from the new site.

The new production plant in Beryozovsky, to the north-east of Yekaterinburg, will deliver cost-savings and make it possible to supply customers in this fast-growing region with customized concrete admixtures for demanding construction projects.

Read more: Sika opens new concrete admixture plant in Russia

Stork bags asset integrity contract extension by Chrysaor

Stork, part of Fluor Corporation’s diversified services segment was awarded a two-year contract extension by Chrysaor. Stork will deliver integrated specialist asset integrity services for its Armada, Everest and Lomond offshore production platforms located in the Central North Sea.

Under this contract, Stork will continue to deliver an inclusive range of solutions and capabilities to extend the offshore assets’ life cycle. Through proven methodologies and its integrity corrective action teams (ICATs), Stork will assess and optimize work, delivering an inspection process to meet the operational strategy for each asset and undertaking any necessary repairs.

This integrated capability reduces failures while extending the asset’s life.

ICAT is Stork’s process-led, multi-disciplined approach which identifies and rapidly remedies integrity anomalies before they require repair or replacement.

Read more: Stork bags asset integrity contract extension by Chrysaor

Total opens $50 mn lubricants oil blending plant in Russia

Total SA has inaugurated its new state-of-the-art lubricants oil blending plant, in Kaluga, Russian Federation.

The blending and production plant will allow Total to localize the production of its top-tier lubricants for the Russian market. With an investment equivalent to $50 million, this facility has been designed to produce initially 40,000 tons of automotive and industrial lubricants per year, with a scale-up option to bring this capacity up to 70,000 tons per year.

The plant is equipped with a fully automated blending system and ultramodern filling lines. Covering an area of 7 hectares of the Vorsino industrial park in the Kaluga Region, this facility opens less than two years after the start of construction. Its operations are creating 50 new working positions onsite.

Read more: Total opens $50 mn lubricants oil blending plant in Russia

KBR wins FEED contract for BP's Tortue project

KBR Inc’s UK subsidiary has been awarded a front-end engineering design (FEED) contract by BP Plc. The contract is for Phase 1 of the Tortue field Hub/Terminal development located on the maritime border between Senegal and Mauritania.

The agreement contains a mechanism to allow transition of the contract to an engineering, procurement and construction management (EPCM) contract at a later date.

KBR will provide management of the Quarters and Utilities (QU) including Telecoms Systems FEED and provision of supplemental services (system engineering, interface oversight, technology planning, support and verification) of the Hub/Terminal for the Tortue project in Senegal and Mauritania.

Read more: KBR wins FEED contract for BP's Tortue project

Clariant's Hans joins executive board; Britta to leave

Clariant has appointed Hans Bohnen, currently head of global business services as the new member of executive committee.

Bohnen has been with the company for almost 10 years.

Simultaneously, Britta Fuenfstueck, member of executive committee has decided to leave Clariant as of 31 October 2018 to become CEO of the Hartmann Group.

Effective 12 October, Bohnen will be installed as a member of Clariant’s executive committee. He will assume responsibility for the business area plastics & coatings, global business services, group information technology, Digital4Clariant, and the regions Latin America and North America.

Read more: Clariant's Hans joins executive board; Britta to leave

Jacobs bags contract for Sirius' materials handling facility

Jacobs Engineering Group Inc has been awarded an engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) contract from Sirius Minerals PLC for its new materials handling facility (MHF).

Located in Teesside, England, the MHF is being constructed as part of the company's North Yorkshire Polyhalite Project, which will supply a unique type of potash fertilizer.

Jacobs is designing the MHF to handle seven million tonnes per annum (MTPA) of granulated product in its first phase of development, with expansion considerations being developed into the design to support up to 20 MTPA of the granulated product. In addition, the facility will also handle three MTPA of coarse product.

Through the development of its North Yorkshire Polyhalite Project, the world's largest and highest-grade deposit, Sirius Minerals will become a leading global producer of polyhalite. At full production, the project will create over 1,000 direct jobs and many more indirectly, and has the potential to generate over £2 billion of annual exports for the U.K.

Read more: Jacobs bags contract for Sirius' materials handling facility