The downstream rundown: In case you missed it 7/29
In case you missed any downstream news, here are the top stories from last week.
Avfuel, Neste collaborate to help business aviation reach net-zero goals faster
With a mission to reach net-zero by 2050, the business aviation community—which includes fixed base operators (FBOs), airports, corporate flight departments and original equipment manufacturers (OEMs)—needs reliable access to sustainable aviation fuel (SAF). Avfuel, a leading global supplier of aviation fuel and services, recognized this need early on and began looking for the right partners to meet the industry’s growing demand.
Given Neste’s expertise in renewable fuels and its fast-growing production capacity of SAF, Avfuel chose Neste as its strategic partner in January 2021 to develop an efficient and continuous supply of Neste MY Sustainable Aviation Fuel throughout North America and overseas. Such a collaboration enables business aviation to achieve its sustainability goals faster by getting more SAF into aircraft.
Shell USA and Shell Midstream Partners reach a definitive merger agreement
Shell USA and Shell Midstream Partners announced they have executed a definitive agreement and plan of merger pursuant to which Shell USA will acquire all of the common units representing limited partner interests in SHLX held by the public at $15.85 per Public Common Unit in cash for a total value of approximately $1.96 B. A subsidiary of Shell USA currently owns 269,457,304 SHLX common units, or approximately 68.5% of SHLX common units.
Power interruption prompts flaring at Chevron Phillips' Baytown plant
Chevron Phillips was utilizing the safety flare system at its Baytown, Texas, chemical plant following a power interruption, according to a source familiar with plant operations.
Thick black smoke was seen throughout the morning at the plant, located on the east side of the Houston metro area, according to a Reuters witness.
bp opens its first electric truck charging facilities to support the decarbonization of transport
bp has opened its first ultra-fast-charging facilities aimed at medium and heavy-duty electric trucks to support the decarbonization of the sector – where, according to the IEA, tailpipe CO2 emissions have increased on average 2.2% annually since 2000.
Operated by bp’s Aral brand, the retail site at Schwegenheim in Rheinland-Pfalz, Germany now has two state-of-the-art 300kw ultra-fast chargers intended for electric trucks, powered by 100% renewable energy. Situated on the major B9 road, the Schwegenheim site provides truck drivers with a convenient, safe, well-lit station where an electric truck capable of charging at 300kw could increase its remaining range by around 150-200km during a driver’s mandatory 45-minute break. And the driver has access to additional services such as food and drink for their journeys, as well as toilets.
Itero invests in sustainable solution for plastics recycling
Itero has successfully raised €6 MM in investments, with €5 MM from Infinity Recycling’s Circular Plastics Fund (CPF), to support the design and construction of our first at-scale demonstration plant located at the Brightlands Chemelot Campus, Geleen, NL.
The demand for plastics has never been greater. Industry production of plastic is projected to triple by 2060 but existing recycling methods are limited in the types of plastics they can process and the quality of recycled products. Chemical recycling has fewer limitations - in the range of plastic waste processed and in creating virgin-quality recycled products. McKinsey has forecast that by 2050 more than 30% of the global polymer (plastic) demand will be met from advanced recycling (which includes chemical recycling).
Sainsbury’s partners with Williams Advanced Engineering for sustainable start-up projects with £5 MM investment
As part of its pledge to reach net zero in its own operations by 2035, Sainsbury’s has announced the launch of Sainsbury’s Innovation Investments which will invest a minimum of £5 MM over the next four years into start-up businesses commercializing innovative, sustainable technologies that look to reduce operational carbon emissions and water usage.
Williams Advanced Engineering (WAE) will scout and invest into early-stage companies, not limited to the Sainsbury’s supply chain, across a range of sectors. The first investment is expected to be announced before the end of 2022. In addition to providing much needed investment, Sainsbury’s is looking to accelerate dynamic start-ups and Small/Medium Enterprises (SME’s) in developing, testing, and deploying transformational technology that can reduce carbon emissions and water usage.
4AIR and NATA collaborate for first-ever SAF delivery receipt for business aviation
The National Air Transportation Association (NATA) in partnership with 4AIR announced the release of a first-ever Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) receipt for business aviation. The SAF Delivery Receipt allows fixed-base operators (FBOs) to provide industry-requested, standardized documentation to business aircraft operators about their uplift of SAF. Aircraft operators can use the new receipt both for certification by 4AIR and others of their efforts to fight climate change, and for compliance with Environment, Social and Governance (ESG) goals.
At present, the largest emissions reductions are enabled by using SAF, but operators currently are receiving different documentation depending on their supplier. Moreover, there is no way to easily link the sustainability documentation to the “last mile uplift” from the FBO to the operator.
PetroChina begins $4.5-B refinery expansion
PetroChina has launched a $4.52 B program to expand a subsidiary refinery in southern China into an integrated petrochemicals complex, Chinese state media reported on Thursday.
China's second-largest state refiner is expected to keep crude oil refining capacity at the Guangxi Petrochemical plant unchanged while adding 14 major petrochemical units, according to reports by state television and China Chemical News.
GTC Vorro and RATE announce collaboration
GTC Vorro Technology), a provider of environmental services and process technologies to oil and gas refining, petrochemical and chemical companies, has entered into an agreement with Rameshni & Associates Technology and Engineering (RATE), a global specialty engineering firm providing state-of-the-art process technologies for sulfur processing and acid-gas removal.
Dow and Al-Hejailan Group sign MoU to build joint venture MDEA plant
Dow and the Al-Hejailan Group signed an MoU to form a joint venture to design, build and operate a methyl diethanolamine (MDEA) plant in the PlasChem Park in Jubail, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The joint venture will enable Dow and Al-Hejailan to meet growing demand for natural gas purification in Saudi Arabia and in the broader Middle East region.
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