Industry: Refining & fuels

AMERICAS  Hexpol to boost synthetic rubber compounding capacity in Mexico  Hexpol plans to expand synthetic rubber compounding capacity in Mexico. The expansion will add a new advanced 135 L rubber compounding line into its Querétaro facility, Mexico, which will increase overall capacity to 70 KTA. Comments: Sweden-headquartered Hexpol A.B. supplies advanced rubber and plastic compounding […]

 AMERICAS  Sekisui Plastics USA introduces a new grade of Piocelan®foam resin  Sekisui Plastics USA has launched a new grade of moldable Piocelan®foam resin, Piocelan T. The new material is a hybrid of polystyrene and polyolefins using Sekisui Plastics’ proprietary hybrid foam technology. Compared to previous grades that lack sufficient heat resistance for some automotive applications, […]

AMERICAS Total launches new HDPE grade Total has introduced a new HDPE grade, XSene XRT70. This grade which combines excellent processability and raised temperature resistance is designed for water and gas pressure pipe application. High extrusion speed at low extrusion temperature without sacrificing the finished surface can be achieved, which has been confirmed by converters […]

We shared thoughts on improving the execution of oil and gas capital projects at a recent conference.

CNG offers the advantages of lower cost and a more established fueling infrastructure in the US. Conversely, LNG provides higher energy density and greater portability due to its independence from pipelines, allowing access to remote areas.

AMERICAS Ethylene XXI nearing completion Braskem SA and Grupo Idesa’s JV plant is nearing completion and is expected to come on-stream by July 2015. The USD 4.5 billion complexes will include an ethane cracker with a capacity of 1,050 KTA, two 750 KTA HDPE plants, and one 300 KTA LDPE plant. Comments: The new ethylene […]

AMERICAS  Ineos-Sasol break ground on HDPE plant  Ineos and Sasol have broken ground on a new HDPE production plant at Ineos’ La Porte manufacturing plant. The USD 500 million projects would have a production capacity of 470 KTA and are expected to begin operations in 2016. Comments: This project is among at least 8PE projects […]

AMERICAS Dow Chemical expansion projects on track Construction of Dow Chemical’s US Gulf Coast and Latin America expansion projects are on-track and on a plan for a start-up. In Freeport, TX construction for the on-purpose propylene PDH project is over 50% complete; the project is expected to start in mid-2015. The construction for Dow’s ethylene […]

AMERICAS  Borealis to consolidate plastics compounding operations in Brazil  Borealis is planning to restructure its operations in Brazil, by transferring production from its plant at Triunfo to the recently upgraded facility at Itatibain in early 2015. Borealis invested about USD 57.3 million to expand the Itatiba facility with the construction of an additional production building, […]

AMERICAS  Formosa Plastics obtains EPA permits for new plants  Formosa Plastics Corp. has obtained greenhouse gas prevention of significant deterioration (GHG-PSD) permits from EPA for the construction of 1,600 KTA ethane cracker, 660 KTA PDH unit and a 570 KTA LDPE plant at its site in Point Comfort, TX. Formosa Plastics expects to bring the […]

June 26, 2014 – ADI Analytics was quoted again in the media recently this time on the issue of crude oil exports.  The Australian Financial Review’s report of the U.S. Department of Energy’s company-specific approval of condensate exports from the Eagle Ford included comments from Uday Turaga, CEO of ADI Analytics.  An excerpt is provided […]

AMERICAS  Synthos to build Nd-PBR plant  Synthos will be investing in a USD 170 million synthetic rubber plant at Triunfo, Brazil. The plant will produce neodiyum catalyzed polybutadiene (Nd-PBR) rubber based on Michelin’s technology. The raw material for the plant will be supplied by Braskem. The plant will have a capacity of 80 KTA and […]