Petrochemicals
Dow praises Obama for regulatory reform progress
Officials with US producer Dow Chemical on Friday applauded recent progress made by the Obama administration on issues of regulatory reform. Dow said it was pleased to see the administration following through on its commitment to review existing regulations and make changes, if appropriate, noting that it was particularly pleased to see the public given an opportunity to recommend rules for review.
Chem Safety Board to investigate third accident at metal powder plant in Tennessee
A four-person investigation team from the US Chemical Safety Board (CSB) was deployed on Friday to the site of a third serious accident at the Hoeganaes Corp. plant in Gallatin, Tennessee. An explosion was reported earlier on Friday at the plant, injuring five, including three who were in critical condition at the Vanderbilt University Medical Center burn unit in Nashville.
BASF to build 300,000 tonne/yr TDI plant in Europe
BASF announced Thursday that it will build the world’s largest single-train TDI (toluene diisocyanate) plant in Europe, with 300,000 tonnes/yr (tpy) of capacity and fully integrated with precursor production.
Huntsman licenses PO/MTBE technology to China’s Yantai Wanhua Polyurethanes
US chemicals producer Huntsman said Wednesday that it signed a license agreement with Chinese chemicals manufacturer Yantai Wanhua Polyurethanes for the production of propylene oxide (PO) and methyl tertiary butyl ether (MTBE) - a co-product of PO.
Honeywell to begin work on new transportation fuels refinery in Iraq
UOP LLC, a Honeywell company, said Wednesday that its technology has been selected for a new transportation fuel refinery to be built in Iraq, with design to begin in the second quarter of 2011.
Dow generates energy from recycled plastic in US
Dow Chemical said on Monday that it had successfully used recycled plastic to generate energy. The successful pilot test measured how plastic that has been reused and recycled to the full extent possible can be used as fuel for an end-of-life option instead of going to a landfill for disposal.
Specialty chemical firm Chemtura to establish bromine JV with India’s Archean Group
US specialty chemical firm Chemtura signed a deal to establish a strategic alliance, including a joint venture, in bromine and brominated derivatives with India-based Archean Group.
China’s Sinopec, Kuwait Petroleum to begin building $9 billion refining complex in Q1 2012
China’s top refiner Sinopec and state-run Kuwait Petroleum Corp. (KPC) will begin construction of their $9 billion joint venture refining and petrochemical complex in China during the 2012 first quarter, reports said on Monday.
US chemical production increased in April across all regions - ACC
US chemical production rose in April by 0.3% month on month, the American Chemistry Council (ACC) said, returning to growth after a flat March. Production increased in all regions, with the largest gains in the Northeast, Ohio Valley, Midwest and Mid-Atlantic regions.
Global chemical M&A activity jumps sharply in Q1
Merger and acquisition (M&A) activity in the global chemicals industry jumped significantly in the first quarter of 2011 when compared to the same period of 2010, according to a study from advisory firm PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC).
- Maersk to use SAF to decarbonize airfreight travel 11/29
- Foundation stone laid for 1.2-MMtpy blue ammonia plant in Qatar 11/29
- Traders using STS transfers near Senegal to export Russian naphtha to Brazil 11/29
- Mexican firefighters extinguish second fire in one week at Pemex refinery 11/29
- Australia's Ampol ends Lytton refinery repairs, provides output forecast 11/29
- Indonesia committed to introduce B40 biodiesel on Jan. 1 11/29
