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Eni technology
F O C U S leveraged across a wide variety of industries and applications including biodiesel, biojet and other biofuels. Solazyme has developed an industrial scale fermentation process currently capable of producing thousands of gallons of algal oil using standard industrial equipment. In addition, Solazyme has plans to dramatically expand production in 2008. Founded in 2003 and headquartered in South San Francisco, CA, Solazyme is a synthetic biology company unleashing the power of marine microbes to create clean and scalable solutions for the renewable energy, industrial chemical, and speciality ingredient markets. Press release from: Peppercom, 470 Park Avenue South, 5th Floor, New York 10016, USA. Tel: +1 212 931 6100. Fax: +1 212 931 6159. Website: http://www.peppercom.com (22 Jan 2008)
Süd-Chemie to expand catalyst business in Russia and Ukraine Süd-Chemie and Alvigo AS of Estonia have jointly formed Süd-Chemie Alvigo Catalysts GmbH. Süd-Chemie holds a 60% share in the venture, which has taken over Alvigo’s entire catalyst business. This includes the catalyst production site and related research operations in Severodonetsk, Ukraine. and the sales office in Moscow, with a total of over 300 employees. The main part of the jv’s product portfolio will be syngas catalyst, which is required in the chemical processing of natural gas and coal. The jv will not only strengthen Süd-Chemie’s catalyst business in Russia and the Ukraine, but will also form a basis for expanding business into the remaining countries of the former Soviet Union. Press release from: Süd-Chemie AG, Munich. Website: http://www.sud-chemie.com (18 Jan 2008) & Nachrichten für Aussenhandel, 18 Jan 2008 (Website: http://www.nfa-online.de) (in German) & Chemie Technik (Heidelberg), 4 Feb 2008 (Website: http://www.chemietechnik.de) (in German) & Chimie Pharma Hebdo, 28 Jan 2008, (410), 10 (in French). (Website: http://www.france-chimie.com)
Biodiesel spurs two agreements Süd-Chemie and Innospec have reached separate agreements that would boost the availability and stability of biodiesel fuels. SüdChemie will produce solid catalyst for use in the 10 M gallon/y facility being built by biodiesel company Benefuel in Seymour, IN. Low-grade vegetable
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oils and animal fats are converted into fatty acid methyl esters by the solid catalyst. Innospec, a speciality chemicals manufacturer, will supply its Biostable additive line to biodiesel supplier World Energy Alternatives under a three-year deal. With Biostable, the fuel is shielded from acid-induced degradation and oxidation. Chemical and Engineering News, 14 Jan 2008, 86 (2), 31-32 & Nitrogen + Syngas, Feb 2008, (291), 8
NEW PLANTS Albemarle starts new Texas catalyst plant Albemarle has commenced operations of a new hydro-processing catalyst facility at its Bayport location in Pasadena, TX. The 10,000 tonne/y plant will make is first deliveries in 1Q 2008 and is expected to have a 50% average operating rate in 2008. It will meet demand for new refineries and plant expansions in India and the Middle East. ICIS Chemical Business, 4 Feb 2008, 273 (5), 8
New zeolite catalyst from Süd-Chemie Süd-Chemie Zeolites GmbH has started the expansion of its plant for making a new speciality zeolites at Bitterfeld, Germany. The company is also building a new wastewater processing unit at the site. Beginning in 2009, a new type of catalyst that enables the production of propylene based on coal and natural gas, rather than the standard petroleum oil, will be made at the expanded plant. Specific application will be developed for the zeolites produced at Bitterfeld, using processes from Lurgi AG. Chemical Engineering (New York), Dec 2007, 114 (13), 13 & Nitrogen + Syngas, Feb 2008, (291), 7
UOP’s MTO technology licensed to Eurochem for new Nigerian petrochemicals plant UOP LLC announced that Viva Methanol Ltd, a subsidiary of Eurochem, has selected the UOP/Hydro MTO process technology and the Total Petrochemicals/UOP Olefin Cracking process technology to produce light olefins from natural gas-
derived methanol at a new Viva Polymers plant in Nigeria. The project will be the first commercial-scale installation of the MTO process and Olefin Cracking process technologies. The plant, located within the Lagos Free Trade Zone, will produce olefins from methanol derived from natural gas, an attractive, cost-advantaged feedstock that is plentiful in the region. The new plant will produce 1.3 M tonne/y of ethylene and propylene for making polyethylene and polypropylene. UOP will provide technology licence, basic engineering, catalysts, adsorbents, speciality equipment, and technical support. The MTO technology, jointly developed by UOP and Norsk Hydro ASA, converts methanol to ethylene and propylene. The process, based on proprietary UOP catalysts, is proven to provide high yields with minimal byproducts. It is designed for flexibility of the quantity of each product produced, which allows producers to adjust levels to match shifting market demands. The Olefin Cracking process, jointly developed by UOP and Total Petrochemicals, can be integrated with the MTO process to increase the yield of ethylene and propylene within the plant and minimize hydrocarbon byproducts. Viva Methanol Ltd is a Nigerian subsidiary of Eurochem Corp Pte Ltd, a privatelyowned company based in Singapore. Press release from: UOP LLC, 25 East Algonquin Road, Des Plaines, IL 60017 5017, USA. Tel: +1 847 391 2000. Website: http://www.uop.com (30 Jan 2008) & Chemical Week, 4 Feb 2008 (Website: http://www.chemweek.com) & Chimie Pharma Hebdo, 4 Feb 2008, (411), 22 (in French)
Galp Energia to use UOP/Eni technology UOP/Eni SpA’s ecofining technology will be employed by Galp Energia to make diesel fuel from vegetable oils at its processing plant to be built in Sines, Portugal. The plant will handle 6500 bbl/day of vegetable oils to provide high cetane ‘green’ diesel fuel to European refineries to address the rising need for clean fuels and biofuels across Europe. Hydrocarbon Processing, Jan 2008, 87 (1), 35
JM affiliates commissioned for coal gasification plant Davy Process Technology and Johnson Matthey Catalysts, both part of Johnson Matthey, are providing
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Süd-Chemie to expand catalyst business in Russia and Ukraine Süd-Chemie and Alvigo AS of Estonia have jointly formed Süd-Chemie Alvigo Catalysts GmbH. Süd-Chemie holds a 60% share in the venture, which has taken over Alvigo’s entire catalyst business. This includes the catalyst production site and related research operations in Severodonetsk, Ukraine. and the sales office in Moscow, with a total of over 300 employees. The main part of the jv’s product portfolio will be syngas catalyst, which is required in the chemical processing of natural gas and coal. The jv will not only strengthen Süd-Chemie’s catalyst business in Russia and the Ukraine, but will also form a basis for expanding business into the remaining countries of the former Soviet Union. Press release from: Süd-Chemie AG, Munich. Website: http://www.sud-chemie.com (18 Jan 2008) & Nachrichten für Aussenhandel, 18 Jan 2008 (Website: http://www.nfa-online.de) (in German) & Chemie Technik (Heidelberg), 4 Feb 2008 (Website: http://www.chemietechnik.de) (in German) & Chimie Pharma Hebdo, 28 Jan 2008, (410), 10 (in French). (Website: http://www.france-chimie.com)
Biodiesel spurs two agreements Süd-Chemie and Innospec have reached separate agreements that would boost the availability and stability of biodiesel fuels. SüdChemie will produce solid catalyst for use in the 10 M gallon/y facility being built by biodiesel company Benefuel in Seymour, IN. Low-grade vegetable
MARCH 2008
O N
C ATA LY S T S
oils and animal fats are converted into fatty acid methyl esters by the solid catalyst. Innospec, a speciality chemicals manufacturer, will supply its Biostable additive line to biodiesel supplier World Energy Alternatives under a three-year deal. With Biostable, the fuel is shielded from acid-induced degradation and oxidation. Chemical and Engineering News, 14 Jan 2008, 86 (2), 31-32 & Nitrogen + Syngas, Feb 2008, (291), 8
NEW PLANTS Albemarle starts new Texas catalyst plant Albemarle has commenced operations of a new hydro-processing catalyst facility at its Bayport location in Pasadena, TX. The 10,000 tonne/y plant will make is first deliveries in 1Q 2008 and is expected to have a 50% average operating rate in 2008. It will meet demand for new refineries and plant expansions in India and the Middle East. ICIS Chemical Business, 4 Feb 2008, 273 (5), 8
New zeolite catalyst from Süd-Chemie Süd-Chemie Zeolites GmbH has started the expansion of its plant for making a new speciality zeolites at Bitterfeld, Germany. The company is also building a new wastewater processing unit at the site. Beginning in 2009, a new type of catalyst that enables the production of propylene based on coal and natural gas, rather than the standard petroleum oil, will be made at the expanded plant. Specific application will be developed for the zeolites produced at Bitterfeld, using processes from Lurgi AG. Chemical Engineering (New York), Dec 2007, 114 (13), 13 & Nitrogen + Syngas, Feb 2008, (291), 7
UOP’s MTO technology licensed to Eurochem for new Nigerian petrochemicals plant UOP LLC announced that Viva Methanol Ltd, a subsidiary of Eurochem, has selected the UOP/Hydro MTO process technology and the Total Petrochemicals/UOP Olefin Cracking process technology to produce light olefins from natural gas-
derived methanol at a new Viva Polymers plant in Nigeria. The project will be the first commercial-scale installation of the MTO process and Olefin Cracking process technologies. The plant, located within the Lagos Free Trade Zone, will produce olefins from methanol derived from natural gas, an attractive, cost-advantaged feedstock that is plentiful in the region. The new plant will produce 1.3 M tonne/y of ethylene and propylene for making polyethylene and polypropylene. UOP will provide technology licence, basic engineering, catalysts, adsorbents, speciality equipment, and technical support. The MTO technology, jointly developed by UOP and Norsk Hydro ASA, converts methanol to ethylene and propylene. The process, based on proprietary UOP catalysts, is proven to provide high yields with minimal byproducts. It is designed for flexibility of the quantity of each product produced, which allows producers to adjust levels to match shifting market demands. The Olefin Cracking process, jointly developed by UOP and Total Petrochemicals, can be integrated with the MTO process to increase the yield of ethylene and propylene within the plant and minimize hydrocarbon byproducts. Viva Methanol Ltd is a Nigerian subsidiary of Eurochem Corp Pte Ltd, a privatelyowned company based in Singapore. Press release from: UOP LLC, 25 East Algonquin Road, Des Plaines, IL 60017 5017, USA. Tel: +1 847 391 2000. Website: http://www.uop.com (30 Jan 2008) & Chemical Week, 4 Feb 2008 (Website: http://www.chemweek.com) & Chimie Pharma Hebdo, 4 Feb 2008, (411), 22 (in French)
Galp Energia to use UOP/Eni technology UOP/Eni SpA’s ecofining technology will be employed by Galp Energia to make diesel fuel from vegetable oils at its processing plant to be built in Sines, Portugal. The plant will handle 6500 bbl/day of vegetable oils to provide high cetane ‘green’ diesel fuel to European refineries to address the rising need for clean fuels and biofuels across Europe. Hydrocarbon Processing, Jan 2008, 87 (1), 35
JM affiliates commissioned for coal gasification plant Davy Process Technology and Johnson Matthey Catalysts, both part of Johnson Matthey, are providing
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