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Degussa to build alkoxides plant in Mobile
F O C U S Jubail, Saudi Arabia, for commissioning in 2008. The facility will yield 80,000 tonne/y of normal-butanol using LP Oxo Selector 80 technology with a Normax catalyst from Davy Process Technology. It will be built at a petrochemical complex that is envisaged to produce 200,000 tonnes of acrylic acid and its derivatives. Arkema and Essar Chemicals will study the viability of building an equal jv facility for acrylic acid and esters production. Startup of the Vadinar, Gujarat, India facility is expected in 2010. Plastics and Rubber Asia, Feb 2007, 22 (147), 4 & Chemical Engineering World, Jan 2007, 42 (1), 20
KBR technology for China propylene plant Kellogg Brown & Root (KBR) will provide basic design and engineering services for a propylene facility in Jilin City owned by Jilin Chemical (JiHua) Group Corp. The facility will have a 200,000 tonne/y nominal capacity and will utilize KBR’s Superflex fluidized catalytic cracking process technology. Detailed engineering will be provided by China Petroleum Engineering Co. Oil and Gas Journal, 19 Feb 2007, 105 (7), 10
New F-T plant for China A team of researchers from the Centre of Material and Process Synthesis (COMPS) at the University of Witwatersand, South Africa, will head the construction of a new generation Fischer-Tropsch plant in Shaanxi, China, by Apr 2007. The R75 M ($10.4 M) pilot plant will turn carbon monoxide and hydrogen into liquid hydrocarbons. The Chinese company Golden Nest Technology Group is financing the plant, which is expected to be about 30% more efficient compared to conventional technology. Gas will be supplied by a nearby ammonia facility and coal will be obtained from local reserves. After six months, the pilot plant can be upgraded into a commercial-scale facility. TCE (formerly The Chemical Engineer), Mar 2007, (789), 13
UOP commissions 200th CCR platforming process unit UOP LLC, the Honeywell subsidiary, commissioned its 200th unit using the CCR Platforming process on 5 Mar
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2007 at the refinery operated by Sinopec Hainan Petrochemical Co in Hainan province, China. The unit will use advanced CCR Reforming catalysts to enable high liquid and hydrogen yields, low coke production, and optimum profitability in the production of clean fuels and chemical feedstock. CCR Platforming features energy-efficient continuous catalytic reforming of naphthenes and paraffins to produce aromatics and hydrogen. Since 1985, the process has been used in over 27 units in China with a throughput of over 26 M tonne/y. Other technology licensed by UOP to Sinopec since the early 1980s includes 12 aromatics complexes, two linear alkylbenzene units, and other refining technology. China Chemical Reporter, 16 Mar 2007, 18 (8), 11
BASF will construct new plant in Moscow region BASF (Germany) is planning to build a plant in Russia for the production of catalytic neutralization tanks (presumably automobile exhaust catalysts – Ed.) for motorcars. To be based in the Krasnogorsk district of Moscow, it will have an expected capacity of 2 M catalysts/y according to the Engelhard licence. Production is due to begin in 2008. Investment in the project is evaluated at $20-30 M. By 2011 the car market in Russia should reach 4 M items. Platinum and palladium needed for catalyst manufacturing are produced only in Russia and South Africa.
Degussa to build alkoxides plant in Mobile Degussa intends to expand its complex in Mobile, AL, by setting up a ‘low double-digit million Euro’ facility for making 60,000 tonne/y of alkoxides. Alkoxides serve as catalysts in biodiesel manufacture. The company expects to commission the new unit in 2H 2008. It will be used to cater to requirements of clients in the NAFTA region. Chemical Week, 28 Mar 2007, 16 & ICIS Chemical Business, 26 Mar 2007, 2 (59), 9 & Chimie Pharma Hebdo, 26 Mar 2007, (376), 16 (Website: http://www.france-chimie.com) (in French) & Press release from: Degussa (Website: http://www.degussa.com), 20 Mar 2007
NEW TECHNOLOGY New catalyst promises lower-cost biodiesel Ube Material Industries, in collaboration with Yamaguchi University, has created a highly active solid base catalyst capable of speeding up biodiesel production while increasing productivity. The use of the calcium-based material facilitates biodiesel separation and eliminates the need to purify the manufactured biodiesel. Ube will continue with R&D for the catalyst’s early commercialization. Japan Chemical Week, 1 Mar 2007, 48 (2406), 6
Kommersant, 19 Mar 2007, (43/P), 18 (in Russian)
Univen invests $20 M in six new plants – Brazil
Magnetic process for removing spent FCC catalyst
In 2H 2007, Univen of Brazil will embark on a $20 M project to build six new production facilities. The oil refiner’s plans include the construction of a 918 bbl/day naphtha treatment unit, a 850 bbl/day speciality solvents unit, a 425 bbl/day hydrotreatment plant, a 2020 bbl/day catalytic converter unit, a 4000 bbl/day condensed oil processing unit and a gas combustion and compression unit. Project completion is expected in 2H 2007.
The magnetic properties of active and spent FCC catalysts, due to their nickel contents, are different. Nippon Oil Corp has developed a continuous process for selectively removing spent FCC catalysts from FCC reactors, based on this.
BNAmericas Petrochemicals News, 12 Mar 2007 (Business News Americas Ltda, website: http://www.Bnamericas.com)
Chemical Engineering (New York), Feb 2007, 114 (2), 16
Olefins from methane Dow Chemical is developing a process for making olefins from methane. The methane is reacted
MAY 2007
KBR technology for China propylene plant Kellogg Brown & Root (KBR) will provide basic design and engineering services for a propylene facility in Jilin City owned by Jilin Chemical (JiHua) Group Corp. The facility will have a 200,000 tonne/y nominal capacity and will utilize KBR’s Superflex fluidized catalytic cracking process technology. Detailed engineering will be provided by China Petroleum Engineering Co. Oil and Gas Journal, 19 Feb 2007, 105 (7), 10
New F-T plant for China A team of researchers from the Centre of Material and Process Synthesis (COMPS) at the University of Witwatersand, South Africa, will head the construction of a new generation Fischer-Tropsch plant in Shaanxi, China, by Apr 2007. The R75 M ($10.4 M) pilot plant will turn carbon monoxide and hydrogen into liquid hydrocarbons. The Chinese company Golden Nest Technology Group is financing the plant, which is expected to be about 30% more efficient compared to conventional technology. Gas will be supplied by a nearby ammonia facility and coal will be obtained from local reserves. After six months, the pilot plant can be upgraded into a commercial-scale facility. TCE (formerly The Chemical Engineer), Mar 2007, (789), 13
UOP commissions 200th CCR platforming process unit UOP LLC, the Honeywell subsidiary, commissioned its 200th unit using the CCR Platforming process on 5 Mar
6
ON
C ATA LY S T S
2007 at the refinery operated by Sinopec Hainan Petrochemical Co in Hainan province, China. The unit will use advanced CCR Reforming catalysts to enable high liquid and hydrogen yields, low coke production, and optimum profitability in the production of clean fuels and chemical feedstock. CCR Platforming features energy-efficient continuous catalytic reforming of naphthenes and paraffins to produce aromatics and hydrogen. Since 1985, the process has been used in over 27 units in China with a throughput of over 26 M tonne/y. Other technology licensed by UOP to Sinopec since the early 1980s includes 12 aromatics complexes, two linear alkylbenzene units, and other refining technology. China Chemical Reporter, 16 Mar 2007, 18 (8), 11
BASF will construct new plant in Moscow region BASF (Germany) is planning to build a plant in Russia for the production of catalytic neutralization tanks (presumably automobile exhaust catalysts – Ed.) for motorcars. To be based in the Krasnogorsk district of Moscow, it will have an expected capacity of 2 M catalysts/y according to the Engelhard licence. Production is due to begin in 2008. Investment in the project is evaluated at $20-30 M. By 2011 the car market in Russia should reach 4 M items. Platinum and palladium needed for catalyst manufacturing are produced only in Russia and South Africa.
Degussa to build alkoxides plant in Mobile Degussa intends to expand its complex in Mobile, AL, by setting up a ‘low double-digit million Euro’ facility for making 60,000 tonne/y of alkoxides. Alkoxides serve as catalysts in biodiesel manufacture. The company expects to commission the new unit in 2H 2008. It will be used to cater to requirements of clients in the NAFTA region. Chemical Week, 28 Mar 2007, 16 & ICIS Chemical Business, 26 Mar 2007, 2 (59), 9 & Chimie Pharma Hebdo, 26 Mar 2007, (376), 16 (Website: http://www.france-chimie.com) (in French) & Press release from: Degussa (Website: http://www.degussa.com), 20 Mar 2007
NEW TECHNOLOGY New catalyst promises lower-cost biodiesel Ube Material Industries, in collaboration with Yamaguchi University, has created a highly active solid base catalyst capable of speeding up biodiesel production while increasing productivity. The use of the calcium-based material facilitates biodiesel separation and eliminates the need to purify the manufactured biodiesel. Ube will continue with R&D for the catalyst’s early commercialization. Japan Chemical Week, 1 Mar 2007, 48 (2406), 6
Kommersant, 19 Mar 2007, (43/P), 18 (in Russian)
Univen invests $20 M in six new plants – Brazil
Magnetic process for removing spent FCC catalyst
In 2H 2007, Univen of Brazil will embark on a $20 M project to build six new production facilities. The oil refiner’s plans include the construction of a 918 bbl/day naphtha treatment unit, a 850 bbl/day speciality solvents unit, a 425 bbl/day hydrotreatment plant, a 2020 bbl/day catalytic converter unit, a 4000 bbl/day condensed oil processing unit and a gas combustion and compression unit. Project completion is expected in 2H 2007.
The magnetic properties of active and spent FCC catalysts, due to their nickel contents, are different. Nippon Oil Corp has developed a continuous process for selectively removing spent FCC catalysts from FCC reactors, based on this.
BNAmericas Petrochemicals News, 12 Mar 2007 (Business News Americas Ltda, website: http://www.Bnamericas.com)
Chemical Engineering (New York), Feb 2007, 114 (2), 16
Olefins from methane Dow Chemical is developing a process for making olefins from methane. The methane is reacted
MAY 2007