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Petrochemicals

US predicts active 2011 hurricane season, may threaten Gulf refiners, petchems

The Atlantic basin is expected to see an above-normal hurricane season this year, according to the seasonal outlook issued on Thursday from the US National Weather Service, potentially threatening refining and petrochemical operations along the US Gulf coast and eastern seaboard.

Honeywell to buy US phenol/acetone plant from Sunoco for $85mn

US refiner Sunoco said on Wednesday that it has agreed to sell its 1 billion pounds/year phenol and acetone manufacturing facility in Philadelphia for $85mn to Honeywell.

BASF awards Technip with umbrella contract for chemical project work

Germany-based chemical major BASF awarded Technip with an umbrella contract for engineering services on its chemical and petrochemical projects. Both companies are contemplating a long-term partnership, they said, which would provide BASF access to the resources of Technip for its capital investments notably in Europe, but also in other regions.

Shaw renews contract with Albemarle for engineering work at US specialty chemical sites

The Shaw Group said on Wednesday that it renewed a contract with Albemarle to provide maintenance, engineering, construction, reliability, operations and other labor services at Albemarle's specialty chemicals manufacturing locations in Arkansas, Louisiana, Pennsylvania, South Carolina and Texas.

SABIC, Sinopec to construct 260,000 tonne/year polycarbonate plant in China by 2015

Saudi Basic Industries Corp. (SABIC) and China Petroleum & Chemical Corp. (Sinopec) said on Tuesday that they will build a new polycarbonate production plant in China with a capacity of 260,000 tonnes/year.

Saudi Aramco awards Jacobs with aromatics project work at Ras Tanura refinery

Jacobs has been awarded the Ras Tanura refinery clean fuels and aromatics project, the first major project received from its general engineering and project management services (GES+) contract with Saudi Aramco, the US engineering group said on Tuesday.

ExxonMobil, SABIC award contracts for elastomers project at Saudi petchem JV

Saudi Basic Industries Corp. (SABIC) and affiliates of ExxonMobil Chemical said that front-end engineering design (FEED) contracts were awarded and that all components are in FEED phase for the proposed new elastomers project at their Al-Jubail Petrochemical Co. (KEMYA) joint venture petrochemical plant.

Orascom JV acquires idled ammonia-methanol plant in Texas, production to restart

Orascom Construction Industries (OCI) announced Monday that its wholly-owned subsidiary, Netherlands-based OCI Nitrogen, acquired an integrated ammonia-methanol plant located in Beaumont, Texas. OCI acquired the plant through a joint venture with Janus Methanol, named Pandora Methanol, in which OCI holds 50% plus 1 share, it said.

Sasol selects S&B as EPC contractor for US ethylene tetramerization plant

Sasol has selected Houston-based S&B Engineers and Constructors (Houston, Texas) as its engineering, procurement, and construction management (EPCm) contractor to build its recently-announced ethylene tetramerization plant in Lake Charles, Louisiana.

Refineries remain operational along Mississippi after opening of Morganza Spillway

Refineries along the Mississippi River remained operational on Monday following the opening of several bays off the Morganza Spillway in Louisiana. It marks the first time the Morganza has been used since 1973, as US officials are seeking to take pressure off the swollen Mississippi with flood waters rushing downstream.