Petrochemicals
German chemical industry raises outlook for sales, producer prices in 2012
For 2012, the group expects prices to rise 2%, up from a May estimate of 1%, and sales to rise 2%, also up from 1%. Domestic demand and orders from the US and Asia should help offset weak European demand.
BP licenses PTA production technology to India firm JBF Petrochemicals
With the help of BP's technology, JBF intends to build a 1.25 million tpy unit at the Special Economic Zone in Mangalore, India, to produce PTA, the primary feedstock for polyesters used in textiles and packaging. JBF expects the Mangalore plant to come on stream at the end of 2014.
Lyondell to supply PP technology for Sibur in Russia
A SIBUR affiliate has selected the Spheripol process technology from LyondellBasell for a new 500,000 tpy single-line polypropylene (PP) plant to be built in Tobolsk, Russia. Start-up is scheduled for 2017.
CB&I wins engineering work in Texas for Enterprise propane dehydrogenation unit
CB&I was awarded a contract by Enterprise Products for the license and basic engineering of the company’s planned propane dehydrogenation unit on the Texas Gulf Coast. The project will produce 1.65 billion lb/year (approximately 750,000 tpy) of polymer-grade propylene (PGP).
Methanex starts up second plant in New Zealand
The addition of the second plant adds 650,000 tpy of capacity for Methanex and increases the Motunui site capacity to 1.5 million tpy. “Our team in New Zealand did a first class job in starting this plant on schedule and at a very reasonable cost," said CEO Bruce Aitken.
Technip wins engineering deal for Reliance cracker project in India
The ROGC plant will be among the largest ethylene crackers in the world and will be integrated to RIL’s Jamnagar refinery complex, using refinery off-gas as feedstock. The products from that plant will be utilized as feedstock for the new downstream petrochemical plants.
BASF to build butadiene extraction plant in Belgium
The plant will have a production capacity of 155,000 tpy and is scheduled to start up during 2014. In recent years, the volumes of butadiene available on the market have declined sharply. At the same time, demand from the tire industry and other industries has been rising.
US ethylene costs recovering after 20-month low
The US spot ethylene price touched 39.5 cents/lb on June 13, extending its drop from a seven-year high of 75.12 cents/lb on April 5 after unplanned plant outages and scheduled maintenance caused supply to fall short of demand, according to the pricing service.
Reliance picks CB&I for paraxylene technology on India aromatics project
The complex includes proprietary BP paraxylene technology offered for license exclusively by Lummus Technology, which uses a novel crystallization step and other features to provide for low capital and operating costs. Paraxylene is an intermediate in the manufacture of polyester.
BASF acquires US cast elastomers producer ITWC
With more than 80 employees, including business management, manufacturing, R&D, sales, and administrative functions, ITWC operates sites in Malcom, Iowa, and Riverside, California. BASF is acquiring the assets of ITWC, including those obtained during ITWC's purchase of Hydroseal Polymers.

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