- Email: [email protected]
Chinese hydrocracking unit starts operation
FOCUS world’s first commercial plant to produce cellulosic ethanol from wood construction waste. Verenium operates a pilot-scale cellulosic ethanol facility in Jennings, LA, that is a centrepiece of the company’s ongoing R&D efforts. Press release from: Verenium Corporation, 55 Cambridge Parkway, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA. Tel: +1 617 674 5300. Website: http://www.verenium.com (19 Jul 2007)
Xethanol announces advanced biomass characterization lab at Virginia Tech and renews research agreement Xethanol Corp announced the establishment of the Xethanol Advanced Biomass Characterization Laboratory at Virginia Tech, in Blacksburg, VA. The company also renewed its research agreement with Virginia Tech that is focused on developing efficient means of producing ethanol using cellulosic feedstocks. The research is led by Dr Foster A Agblevor, Associate Professor in the Department of Biological Systems Engineering. The partnership, first established in 2005, seeks to find methods of producing ethanol from cellulosic biomass by focusing on four areas: steam explosion for pre-treating the biomass; advanced enzymes for hydrolyzing steam exploded biomass; a composite predictive model coupling with economic analysis; and finally scaling up of steam explosion, hydrolysis and fermentation. Press release from: Xethanol Corp, 1185 Avenue of the Americas, 20th Floor, New York, NY 10036, USA. Tel: +1 646 723 4000. Fax: +1 646 723 4001. Website: http://www.xethanol.com (11 Jul 2007)
ON
C ATA LY S T S
aromatics whilst improving product purity.
Olefin removal route replaces conventional clay systems
Chimie Pharma Hebdo, 16 Jul 2007, (390), 8 (in French)
Nippon Petroleum Refining Co Ltd (NPRC) is the first company to license the Olgone technology of ExxonMobil Chemical Technology Licensing LLC. The Olgone technology, commercialized in Oct 2006, will be utilized at NPRC’s Muroran refinery to address problems on very short clay treater cycles. It can be utilized as a substitute for the conventional clay treatment processes. The technology eliminates olefins from a heavy reformate feed and the separated mixed xylenes are then transformed into p-xylene by NPRC and others. The Olgone catalyst is environmentally friendly since it is reproducible unlike clay, which should be replaced periodically. It can be employed using processes utilized in existing clay treaters, providing a simple and trouble-free retrofit.
Criterion boosts catalyst capacity in Arkansas A catalyst extrusion line will be established by Criterion Catalysts & Technologies at Porocel’s alumina processing unit in Little Rock, AR. The project will boost Criterion’s production of hydroprocessing catalysts by almost 10 M lb/y. Porocel will oversee the operation of the catalyst line pursuant to a multi-year deal. Criterion is currently building a global scale hydroprocessing catalyst factory in Port Allen, LA. The unit is slated for startup by the end of 2008 or early 2009. Chemical Week, 18 Jul 2007, 169 (24), 4
Chinese hydrocracking unit starts operation Sinopec Zhenhai Refining and Chemical Co Ltd (ZRCC) has successfully commissioned its new 1.5 M tonne/y hydrocracker at Ningbo in Zhejiang province, China. The unit, which was designed and built using technology developed by the Fushun Research Institute of Petroleum and Petrochemicals, features a singlesection cascade one-pass process and an FF-36/FC-24 catalyst. Completion of the unit has increased ZRCC’s crude oil processing capacity to 20 M tonne/y. The unit has expanded the availability of naphtha feedstock, ensuring supplies to downstream ethylene projects. China Chemical Reporter, 16 Jun 2007, 18 (17), 15
NEW PLANTS Sibur plans ethylbenzene unit in Perm Sibur is to build a 220,000 tonne/y ethylbenzene unit in Perm, Russia. The compound is a raw material for polystyrene production. The project will enable the group to replace obsolete equipment and to supply new polystyrene units. The installations will use a process based on zeolite (rather than aluminium chloride) catalysts. This will stop emission of hydrochloric acid and
6
NEW TECHNOLOGY DOE to fund three new bioenergy research centres The DOE is to fund research centres at Oak Ridge, University of Wisconsin, and the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory to study the conversion of cellulose to ethanol. Chemical Week, 18 Jul 2007, 169 (24), 27
Chemical Engineering Progress, May 2007, 103 (5), 12
Oxynitrox S100, Arkema’s oxidation catalyst for the development of perfumes and fragrances Eager to fulfil market requirements for the development of new perfume and fragrance formulations, Arkema has developed Oxynitrox S100, an organic oxidation catalyst enabling controlled access to aldehyde structures. Additionally, this oxidation catalyst fulfils the requirements of modern chemistry which makes environmental protection a priority. The Oxynitrox S100 catalyst offers countless prospects for perfume and fragrance manufacture, in particular with its capacity to steer the selective oxidation of primary alcohols into aldehydes. Its thorough selectivity and controlled conditions of use allow the development of many aldehyde structures, in particular those containing unsaturations. Oxynitrox S100 contains no metallic element, but proves as effective as other traditional metallic oxidation catalysts based on ruthenium, molybdenum, silver, or cerium. Oxynitrox S100 has the chemical structure of a nitroxidetype polymer, and its development is a logical reflection of Arkemas’ desire to offer a comprehensive technological platform based on
SEPTEMBER 2007
Xethanol announces advanced biomass characterization lab at Virginia Tech and renews research agreement Xethanol Corp announced the establishment of the Xethanol Advanced Biomass Characterization Laboratory at Virginia Tech, in Blacksburg, VA. The company also renewed its research agreement with Virginia Tech that is focused on developing efficient means of producing ethanol using cellulosic feedstocks. The research is led by Dr Foster A Agblevor, Associate Professor in the Department of Biological Systems Engineering. The partnership, first established in 2005, seeks to find methods of producing ethanol from cellulosic biomass by focusing on four areas: steam explosion for pre-treating the biomass; advanced enzymes for hydrolyzing steam exploded biomass; a composite predictive model coupling with economic analysis; and finally scaling up of steam explosion, hydrolysis and fermentation. Press release from: Xethanol Corp, 1185 Avenue of the Americas, 20th Floor, New York, NY 10036, USA. Tel: +1 646 723 4000. Fax: +1 646 723 4001. Website: http://www.xethanol.com (11 Jul 2007)
ON
C ATA LY S T S
aromatics whilst improving product purity.
Olefin removal route replaces conventional clay systems
Chimie Pharma Hebdo, 16 Jul 2007, (390), 8 (in French)
Nippon Petroleum Refining Co Ltd (NPRC) is the first company to license the Olgone technology of ExxonMobil Chemical Technology Licensing LLC. The Olgone technology, commercialized in Oct 2006, will be utilized at NPRC’s Muroran refinery to address problems on very short clay treater cycles. It can be utilized as a substitute for the conventional clay treatment processes. The technology eliminates olefins from a heavy reformate feed and the separated mixed xylenes are then transformed into p-xylene by NPRC and others. The Olgone catalyst is environmentally friendly since it is reproducible unlike clay, which should be replaced periodically. It can be employed using processes utilized in existing clay treaters, providing a simple and trouble-free retrofit.
Criterion boosts catalyst capacity in Arkansas A catalyst extrusion line will be established by Criterion Catalysts & Technologies at Porocel’s alumina processing unit in Little Rock, AR. The project will boost Criterion’s production of hydroprocessing catalysts by almost 10 M lb/y. Porocel will oversee the operation of the catalyst line pursuant to a multi-year deal. Criterion is currently building a global scale hydroprocessing catalyst factory in Port Allen, LA. The unit is slated for startup by the end of 2008 or early 2009. Chemical Week, 18 Jul 2007, 169 (24), 4
Chinese hydrocracking unit starts operation Sinopec Zhenhai Refining and Chemical Co Ltd (ZRCC) has successfully commissioned its new 1.5 M tonne/y hydrocracker at Ningbo in Zhejiang province, China. The unit, which was designed and built using technology developed by the Fushun Research Institute of Petroleum and Petrochemicals, features a singlesection cascade one-pass process and an FF-36/FC-24 catalyst. Completion of the unit has increased ZRCC’s crude oil processing capacity to 20 M tonne/y. The unit has expanded the availability of naphtha feedstock, ensuring supplies to downstream ethylene projects. China Chemical Reporter, 16 Jun 2007, 18 (17), 15
NEW PLANTS Sibur plans ethylbenzene unit in Perm Sibur is to build a 220,000 tonne/y ethylbenzene unit in Perm, Russia. The compound is a raw material for polystyrene production. The project will enable the group to replace obsolete equipment and to supply new polystyrene units. The installations will use a process based on zeolite (rather than aluminium chloride) catalysts. This will stop emission of hydrochloric acid and
6
NEW TECHNOLOGY DOE to fund three new bioenergy research centres The DOE is to fund research centres at Oak Ridge, University of Wisconsin, and the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory to study the conversion of cellulose to ethanol. Chemical Week, 18 Jul 2007, 169 (24), 27
Chemical Engineering Progress, May 2007, 103 (5), 12
Oxynitrox S100, Arkema’s oxidation catalyst for the development of perfumes and fragrances Eager to fulfil market requirements for the development of new perfume and fragrance formulations, Arkema has developed Oxynitrox S100, an organic oxidation catalyst enabling controlled access to aldehyde structures. Additionally, this oxidation catalyst fulfils the requirements of modern chemistry which makes environmental protection a priority. The Oxynitrox S100 catalyst offers countless prospects for perfume and fragrance manufacture, in particular with its capacity to steer the selective oxidation of primary alcohols into aldehydes. Its thorough selectivity and controlled conditions of use allow the development of many aldehyde structures, in particular those containing unsaturations. Oxynitrox S100 contains no metallic element, but proves as effective as other traditional metallic oxidation catalysts based on ruthenium, molybdenum, silver, or cerium. Oxynitrox S100 has the chemical structure of a nitroxidetype polymer, and its development is a logical reflection of Arkemas’ desire to offer a comprehensive technological platform based on
SEPTEMBER 2007