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Petrochemicals

Genomatica, Eni’s Versalis make bio-butadiene via renewable feedstocks

The success of this innovative undertaking results from a newly-developed process for the on-purpose production of butadiene which uses various types of sugars as feedstock.

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.