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Petrochemicals

US monthly chemicals output nudges higher – ACC

Chemical production rose in all regions except the Mid-Atlantic, Northeast and West Coast, which declined. Within the manufacturing sector, output in several key chemistry end-use markets increased, the ACC noted, including appliances, aerospace and structural panels.

Sabic CEO sees technology, innovation as keys for Middle East petchems

The Sabic chief executive said that the global petrochemicals industry has worked hard to recover from the slump of late 2008 and early 2009. The Gulf petrochemical industry has also shown impressive strength and remarkable resilience, he added, noting that it remains in its infancy.

PTT to study petrochemical, refining proposals in Indonesia, Cambodia, Myanmar

Indonesia and Myanmar show potential, the company's CEO said. Meanwhile, a $28.7 billion, 660,000-bpd refinery and petrochemical complex at the Nhon Hoi Economic Zone in coastal Binh Dinh province is the subject of a completed feasibility study submitted to the Vietnamese government for approval.

Lanxess awards EPC work to Foster Wheeler for China synthetic rubber project

The new facility will be designed to produce 160,000 tpy of EPDM rubber. The plant is expected to start up in 2015. Germany-based specialty chemicals firm LANXESS says the new plant, which it describes as the largest EPDM rubber facility in the world, is its largest investment in China to date.

AFPM files petition for 2013 biodiesel volumes

The rule increased the volume of biomass-based diesel from 1 billion to 1.28 billion gallons.

November US chemical activity barometer slides half a percent

The November CAB showed a sharp, 0.5% drop over the previous month. The abrupt decline follows four consecutive monthly gains.

INEOS licenses polypropylene process for Shenhua project in China

INEOS Technologies has licensed a process for the manufacture of homopolymers, random copolymers and impact copolymers to China Shenhua Coal to Chemical Xinjiang Coal Chemical Co. The plant will produce a wide range of PP products to serve the growing market in China.

LSB Industries to cut output at Alabama ammonia plant after pipe rupture

The company said early estimates point to a three- to five-month outage at the ammonia plant, depending on lead times for repair parts. Until then, the Cherokee Nitrogen facility can produce a limited amount of nitric acid and ammonium nitrate solution from purchased ammonia.

Korea Petrochemical taps Toyo to build EO/EG plant

Toyo will provide the engineering, procurement and construction management (EPCm) based on the basic design package of US-based company Scientific Design (SD). The mechanical completion of this plant is scheduled for May 2014. Toyo has already built 13 EO/EG plants based on SD’s technology.

Shell to expand Singapore olefins, aromatics plant

The upgrade will increase the plant's capacity to produce olefins and aromatics by more than 20%, the company said. Work will take place during the next maintenance turnaround of the plant, which currently can produce 800,000 tpy of ethylene. It mainly uses naphtha as a feedstock.