Brazil’s Odebrecht mulls new ethane cracker, PE complex in West Virginia
The complex, named the Ascent — Appalachian Shale Cracker Enterprise, would include the ethane cracker, three polyethylene plants, and infrastructure for water treatment and energy co-generation.
November 18, 2013Continue reading...POLL FINDINGS: Middle East threatened by North American petrochemical exports
North American petrochemical producers have had lofty margins in recent years, given ample ethane feedstocks derived from the regional shale boom. Could that threaten producers elsewhere -- most notably, in the Middle East, which historically has exported products to Asia and Europe? According to a recent industry poll at HydrocarbonProcessing.com, it very well could.
November 15, 2013Continue reading...US sees rising demand to export crude overseas
Oil companies will apply for government permits to sell crude overseas by 2015 and some may do so immediately, a report says. Shipments of refined oils such as gasoline, as well as liquefied petroleum gas, piped gas, and coal are now the same level as those of transport equipment.
November 15, 2013Continue reading...Shell plans $11-billion petrochemical plant in Iraq
The plan to move forward on a petrochemical plant follows a meeting in Baghdad between Shell CEO Peter Voser and Iraqi Prime Minster Nouri al-Maliki. The Iraq government said after the meeting that it will soon sign a "heads of agreement", in which both sides will commit to early planning for the project.
November 14, 2013Continue reading...CNOOC mulls Canada LNG plant for China exports
The plant may be built at Grassy Point near Prince Rupert in British Columbia. Cnooc, through its subsidiary Nexen Energy, signed a deal with the government of British Columbia for the land.
November 13, 2013Continue reading...Honeywell taps Jacobs as project manager for new chemicals site in China
Jacobs is providing services such as basic and detailed design, permitting, project controls, quality, HSE management, procurement, and construction management services, with the option to provide commissioning as required. The plant should start up in the fourth quarter of 2014.
November 13, 2013Continue reading...IEA predicts US energy independence by 2035
Soaring shale output in the US is helping the world’s top oil consumer achieve its highest level of energy independence in two decades, cushioning it against disruptions in Africa and the Middle East. The boom threatens revenues for OPEC’s 12 members, whose output is at its lowest in two years.
November 13, 2013Continue reading...Essar forms UK joint venture with Hydrodec Group to re-refine Stanlow oils
The companies will invest $50 million in a facility to re-refine transformer oil and subsequently base oil, used in lubricants, according to Hydrodec. The first unit of the 130 million liters/year complex will be completed in 2014 and fed with used oil feedstock from the UK, the US and Europe.
November 11, 2013Continue reading...China, Middle East refining boom to offset plant closures in Europe
OPEC says rising Chinese refining capacity over the next five years can compensate for European closures. Meanwhile, Middle East refiners will add at least four new projects.
November 11, 2013Continue reading...Asia petrochemicals boost global naphtha demand
Naphtha use in the Asia-Pacific region will grow by 22% to 4.4 million bpd in this period, with China accounting for more than a third of the increase, OPEC said. That’s double the expected growth in demand for natural gas liquids, including ethane and propane, to 3.2 million bpd, the producer group said.
November 11, 2013Continue reading...