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Petrochemicals

Linde Group to build large Russian ammonia plant

Linde's engineering division will construct the new plant, designed to deliver exceptional levels of energy efficiency, according to project officials. The plant will have a production capacity of 1,340 tpd of ammonia. Construction work is scheduled for completion in 2016.

Total mulls new ethane steam cracker in Texas

HP Editorial Staff: HP News

Total says it is considering a project to build a new ethane steam cracker in Port Arthur, Texas, to capitalize on cheap, shale-derived feedstocks from North America.

Celanese looks to sell Spain vinyl acetate plant

The VAM unit in Tarragona, Spain, has a capacity of 200,000 tpy. Celanese said the decision to sell the plant was driven by a recently completed assessment of the company's overall corporate strategy, which included an assessment of the company’s global manufacturing facilities.

UOP to provide technology for Ascend on-purpose propylene project in Texas

The Ascend propane hydrogenation (PDH) project will be located at a site near Houston, according to regulatory filings. This marks the 14th Oleflex project that UOP has announced since the beginning of 2011, and the company's seventh Oleflex project in North America since the technology was developed.

Celanese partners with Mitsui on new methanol plant near Houston

HP Editorial Staff: HP News

US-based Celanese struck a deal with Japan's Mitsui & Co. to build a new methanol production unit at Celanese's integrated chemicals complex in Clear Lake, Texas.

INEOS, Solvay to merge European PVC businesses

The new INEOS-Solvay business will have 5,650 employees and combine operations across the chlorvinyls chain, including polyvinyl chloride (PVC), chlorine and caustic soda. The merged enterprise would have combined net sales of €4.3bn ($5.7bn), based on 2012 results.

Dow picks Fluor for engineering on planned Texas ethane cracker, PDH unit

Fluor’s scope includes the engineering, procurement and construction of a propane dehydrogenation unit, an ethane cracker, and associated power, utilities and infrastructure facility upgrades to support each unit. The facilities will be built at Dow's Oyster Creek facility in Freeport, Texas.

US ethylene costs sink to four-month low in April

Contributing to the recent softening price trend in ethylene was the subdued trade in polyethylene, ethylene's largest plastic derivative. Weaker prices for crude oil and other energy components left export buyers wondering if US prices for polyethylene would move lower.

Rerating rotating equipment optimizes olefins plant performance

Elliott Engineered Solutions: Renard, D.

Rerating your installed compressors and steam turbines can become a cost-effective, time-saving solution for increasing throughput without having to invest in new equipment.

Investigate power limitations in a large steam turbine

Fluor Canada Ltd.: Ghaisas, N.

An investigation was carried out to rectify power limitations for a steam-turbine driver of a cracked-gas compressor (CGC) in a world-class ethylene plant.DescriptionThe turbine is a nine-stage, impul..