Petrochemicals
LSB reaches mechanical completion on new El Dorado ammonia plant
LSB defines mechanical completion at the El Dorado ammonia plant as having concluded the installation of process vessels and rotating equipment, including associated piping and valves.
Asahi Kasei opens Mexico plastic compounds site
Continued demand growth for plastic compounds is forecast in Mexico, where various manufacturing facilities are increasingly located, especially by US, European, and Japanese manufacturers.
China exports more diesel as local demand slows
Diesel exports in the first quarter of 2016 may high a record high for that period, flooding Asia with supply at a time when profit margins are close to six-year lows, industry sources have said.
Downstream strength enables France’s Total to exceed expectations
The company saw high margins in refining and chemicals and a strong performance in its retail and lubricant businesses. Total fared better than many peers in the quarter, as its extensive downstream business benefited from weak oil prices.
Lanxess, Saudi Aramco to launch rubber venture ARLANXEO this April
LANXESS and Saudi Aramco signed an agreement to create a 50:50 joint venture for the development, production, marketing, sale and distribution of synthetic rubber.
Axens to supply technology on China’s first plant for crude-to-paraxylene
The complex includes a final-conversion refinery oriented towards the production of naphtha and an aromatic complex to maximize high-purity paraxylene production.
Kuwait’s KPC to sell struggling assets to cut costs
Nizar al-Adsani, chief executive of KPC, was quoted as saying the company had started efforts to sell its Europoort refinery in the Netherlands and had decided to shut a fertilizer plant.
LyondellBasell contracts Fluor for FEED on new Texas chemicals unit
The propylene oxide and tertiary butyl alcohol plant will be the world’s largest of its type and will be located at LyondellBasell’s existing Channelview and Bayport Choate complexes in Texas.
Mitsubishi Rayon, Arzeda to collaborate on new chemical processes
This collaboration will leverage each company's unique technologies, with work occurring at Arzeda's laboratories in Seattle, as well as at laboratories of Mitsubishi Rayon in Japan.
China launches discipline investigation into top Sinochem executive
Cai, a 30-year oil industry veteran, was named to lead Sinochem in 2014, after a long career at China Petroleum and Chemical Corp. (Sinopec).
- Azerbaijan's State Oil Company redirects supplies of jet fuel from STAR refinery to Turkish domestic market 5/8
- Hungry to sell, UAE slips hidden oil tankers through Strait of Hormuz 5/8
- Seven markets to track if peace breaks out in the Middle East 5/8
- Asia exports of refined fuels plunge amid Hormuz closure 5/8
- Libya's Zawiya oil refinery shut due to nearby clashes 5/8
- Meghna PVC partners with Jotun to manage corrosion maintenance 5/7
