Industry: Methanol & ammonia

Ben Franklin’s Shale Gas Innovation & Commercialization Center has announced the selection of ADI Analytics to study natural gas monetization via methanol, in particular the technical and economic viability of small to medium-sized plants in northeastern United States. In a press release issued by Ben Franklin’s SGICC, ADI Analytics’ Uday Turaga was quoted as below: […]

AMERICAS  CPChem to go ahead with alpha olefins expansion  CPChem plans to begin a 100 KT expansion of its normal alpha-olefins plant at Cedar Bayou in Texas. CPChem has obtained the approval of its board and the required environmental permits. Comments: The expansion of the alpha-olefins plant further reflects CPChem’s strategy to take advantage of […]

AMERICAS   CPChem begins construction of PE plants   Chevron Phillips Chemical has broken ground for the construction of 500 KTA PE plant in Old Ocean, TX. This is a part of Chevron Phillips Chemical’s USD 6 billion US Gulf Coast Petrochemicals Project which includes a 1,500 KTA ethane cracker at Cedar Bayou, Baytown, TX. […]

AMERICAS   Sasol and Ineos to move forward with HDPE JV   Sasol and Ineos will be proceeding with a 50-50 JV for the manufacture of bimodal HDPE at Ineos’ manufacturing site in LaPorte, TX. The JV will construct a 470 KTA HDPE plant which is expected to begin operations in 2016. The plant will […]

AMERICAS   Flint Hills Resources to acquire PetroLogistics   Flint Hills Resources will be acquiring propylene producer PetroLogistics for USD 2.1 billion. PetroLogisticsis a major producer of propylene and operates the only propylene dehydrogenation facility currently operating in the United States. The propylene production facility has a capacity of about 725 KTA. Comments: As a […]

AMERICAS Repsol licenses CPChem metallocene technology Repsol has licensed the technology for producing metallocene polyethylene from Chevron Phillips Chemical. The technology will be implemented at Repsol’s site in Tarragona, Spain. At Tarragona, Repsol currently can produce 150 KTA of HDPE and 130 KTA of LDPE. Comments: The move by Repsol to be the first licensee […]

AMERICAS Dow Chemical moving ahead with polyethylene projects Dow Chemical is moving ahead with plans to add capacity for polyethylene and related feedstock in the U.S. Gulf Coast and Saudi Arabia. The first units of Sadara, Dow’s joint venture with Saudi Aramco in Jubail, are expected to be on-stream in 2015. Sadara will have a […]

AMERICAS Axiall partners with Lotte for a cracker Axiall and Lotte Chemical have signed a preliminary agreement for a 50/50 joint venture for the construction of a 1,000 KTA ethane cracker in Louisiana. The cracker, which would be fed by shale gas, could begin operations in 2018, subject to the project approval by the companies’ […]

AMERICAS Kraton Performance Polymers to merge with SB copolymers unit of LCY Chemical Corp Kraton Performance Polymers Inc. is merging with the styrenic block copolymers business of LCY Chemical Corp to create a new materials firm, which will have annual sales of over USD 2 billion. LCY is the third largest SBC producer with plants […]

AMERICAS Nova starts petrochemical utilization of Marcellus shale NOVA Chemicals has started the consumption of ethane sourced from Marcellus Shale Basin at its Corunna, Ontario cracker. NOVA initiated the consumption of the new feedstock in late December 2013, as a part of the project to revamp its Corunna, Ontario cracker to utilize up to 100% […]

AMERICAS Axiall chooses Louisiana for the cracker and derivatives project Axiall has chosen Louisiana for a USD 3 billion ethane cracker and derivatives plant. Axiall is considering potential partners for this project in which Axiall expects to invest about USD 1 billion. The new plant could begin operations in 2018. Comments: Axiall, formed after the […]

Despite abundant onshore gas, advancements in methane hydrate technology, exemplified by the Alaskan North Slope test, hold future resource potential.