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Petrochemicals

PolyOne expands polymer innovation centers in US, China, South Korea

PolyOne says its investment to upgrade the centers will further serve the needs of customers interested in collaborating to solve product and performance challenges, while accelerating their speed to market.

TPC to restart idled Texas dehydrogenation unit

The project includes the refurbishment and restart of dehydrogenation assets at TPC's Houston site. The dehydrogenation will provide isobutylene feedstock for TPC’s performance products and fuels business, the company said, including MTBE, polyisobutylene, high-purity isobutylene and diisobutylene.

UOP licenses production technology to isobutylene, butane project in China

The new units, expected to start up in 2014, will produce 180,000 tpy of isobutylene and 150,000 tpy of normal butane at a facility in Heilongjiang Province, China. This will be the first facility in China to dedicate a process unit for isobutylene production using Honeywell’s UOP C4 Oleflex process.

Lotte Chemical awards construction deal to Jacobs for PET project in UK

The new 200,000 tpy PET plant being built at Wilton is located on an integrated PTA and PET site, adjacent to Lotte’s existing PET plant. The addition of the new line fortifies the capacity of Lotte Chemical’s existing T8 facility and supports its transition into a wider range of PET products.

Orascom picks KBR to design Iowa ammonia plant

The plant will be the first world-scale ammonia plant built in the US in nearly 25 years. The plant will be designed using KBR’s Purifier technology, which has demonstrated higher reliability than conventional designs and offers the lowest proven energy consumption in the industry, according to project officials.

Sasol eyes growth in North America, exit from Iran

Sasol's CEO said the company has a “huge strategy” in North America. In Louisiana, it is looking at building an $8 billion to $9 billion gas-to-liquids plant that would produce 96,000 bpd of mostly diesel. It is also looking at a 48,000 bpd plant in Alberta, Canada that would cost about $8 billion.

Keyera to build de-ethanizer at NGL fractionation facility in west Canada

The de-ethanizer will allow Keyera to process an ethane-rich stream of NGLs, creating specification ethane for delivery to petrochemical producers in Alberta and a propane-rich stream of NGLs for delivery into Keyera’s fractionation facilities. Keyera is targeting completion for the first half of 2014.

SK Energy, Kuwait agree to build Indonesia refinery, petrochemical complex

The refinery will have a capacity to produce between 200,000 and 300,000 bpd of Kuwaiti crude oil and will be located inside the petrochemical complex, which will be built in Balongan, West Java, according to KUNA.

Chemtura expands co-catalysts output in Germany

A constant and reliable quality is essential for the performance of MAO used as a co-catalyst in single-site catalyst technologies, say Chemtura officials, who are hoping the expansion will further increase the security of supply for its customers’ engineered-polymer projects.

Foster Wheeler to supply steam reformer to Russia refinery of Gazprom

Foster Wheeler's reformer is characterized by a specific firing arrangement and sloped-wall radiant section design that enable long catalyst tube life and deliver the flexibility to maximize the reformer's operating flexibility. The company's work scope is expected to be completed in November 2013.