Excess capacity

FOCUS ON c SURFACTANTS llllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll A MONTHLY REPORT FROM GORDON HOLLIS

EXCESS CAPACITY

APRIL 2002 In this issue

PRODUCTS Linear alkylbenzene

2-4 (LAB)

Long chain alcohols Alkylphenols Oleochemicals Alkoxylates Fluorosurfactants New developments Soaps Formulations Builders HEALTH CARE

4-5

Discovery Laboratories appoints Senior Vice President to lead its aerosolized surfactant programme 5

ENVIRONMENTAL Surfactants are environmentally friendly STATISTICS/REVIEWS

5-6

and detergents 6-7 7-a

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Linear primary alcohols in the carbon number range Cl 0 - Cl 8 have been a major feature of the detergent scenario since the 1960s. Initially they were derived exclusively from natural sources, in particular, coconut and palm kernel oils for the C12K14 range and tallow for the Cl 6/C18 range. Although the derived sut-factants were technically very acceptable, the price of the C12/C14 range of raw materials was thought to be too high for extended usage as well as being subject to significant and sometimes sudden changes. This generated research aimed at making these products from petrochemical raw materials which by the late 1950s were becoming a key source of chemical reactants. Two basic processes emerged from these studies, viz. Ziegler polymerisation from ethylene and the so-called 0x0 process from long chain linear or near-linear olefines. Both routes led to the manufacture of alcohols on the commercial scale, initially in the USA, followed by Europe and to some extent Japan. Ziegler alcohols were introduced by companies then known as Conoco and Ethyl Corporation. 0x0 alcohols have been manufactured primarily by Shell using their own process and also by (since early 1970s) Liquichimica in Italy and by other companies in Europe using traditional 0x0 technology. In the Ziegler field, Ethyl Corporation, in due course, sold off its subsidiary Albermarle which included the detergent alcohol business. This, in turn (1996), was sold to Amoco

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Chemical Co. which later became BP Amoco. The foregoing developments led to synthetic alcohols effectively heading the naturally derived products in global tonnage. Rising demand, particularly in south east Asia, however, led in the late 198Os/ early 1990s to the construction of a substantial number of new deteregent range alcohol plants but derived from locally available natural raw materials. Very significant increase in global capacity thereby occurred. This month, however, a development is reported (p. 2) which is the reverse of new capacity. BP Amoco is said to be closing its long chain alcohol plant in Texas. This plant was originally introduced by the then Ethyl Corporation in the mid 1960s and subsequently extended. The same entry draws attention to Shell’s new detergent alcohols (0x0) plant due on line at Geismar by end 2002: their first plant was commissioned in 1965 at Deer Park, Texas. In the 0x0 process, choice of the appropriate feedstock leads to production of the desired alcohol chain length. The Ziegler process on the other hand produces a spectrum of alcohols all of which have to find markets economically for the process to be commercially viable even though it may be possible to minimise the unwanted chain lengths. We thus have a clear example of at least one reason why the 0x0 process has prevailed on the commercial scale over Ziegler technology. GOrdonHollis

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