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New alcohol oxidation catalyst boasts 20 times higher activity
F O C US Süd-Chemie and Linde to develop equipment for making biofuels Catalysts maker Süd-Chemie and Linde are to develop equipment for the production of second-generation biofuels. The two companies will combine their know-how in different fields. Süd-Chemie will provide experience in biocatalysts and bioprocess technology and Linde will provide plant engineering in the field of biotech and chemistry. The global market in biofuels is expected to grow to $61 bn by 2010. Handelsblatt Wirtschafts- und Finanzzeitung, 7 May 2008, (88), 18 (in German)
Syntroleum announces 1Q 2008 financial results Syntroleum Corp announced financial results for 1Q ended Mar 2008. For 1Q 2008, the company reported a net loss of $2.2 M, or $0.04/share, (net income of $14.8 M, or $0.26/share, for 1Q 2007). Revenues for 1Q 2008 were $1.6 M ($13.7 M for 1Q 2007). Syntroleum Corp owns the Syntroleum Process for FischerTropsch (FT) conversion of synthesis gas derived from biomass, coal, natural gas and other carbon-based feedstocks into liquid hydrocarbons, the Synfining Process for upgrading FT liquid hydrocarbons into middle distillate products such as synthetic diesel and jet fuels, and the Biofining technology for converting animal fat and vegetable oil feedstocks into middle distillate products such as renewable diesel and jet fuel. Syntroleum Corp 1Q 2008 financial results, 5 May 2008 (Syntroleum Corp, Suite 1100, 1350, South Boulder Avenue, Tulsa, OK 74119, USA. Tel: +1 918 592 7900. Fax: +1 918 592 7979. Website: http://www.syntroleum.com)
NEW PLANTS Kawaken plans second plant for aluminium compounds Tokyo-based Kawaken Fine Chemicals will build a second plant for making organic aluminium compounds at its site in Fukui, Japan. The new unit, which is due for commissioning in Aug 2008, will allow the company to cope with increasing demand for the compounds for
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nanomaterial use. Organic aluminium compounds are primarily used in making catalysts, crosslinking agents, and surface-treatment agents. The new plant will raise the company’s production capacity for alumina sol five times. Japan Chemical Week, 3 Apr 2008, 49 (2460), 7
GTL, CTL finding roles in global energy supply: GTL projects The most significant activity in the field of GTL-CTL (gas to liquids-coal to liquids) has been the development, startup, and operation of the first GTL facility in 15 years. The construction of the Sasol Chevron and Qatar Petroleum Oryx GTL plant in Ras Laffan, Qatar, started in 2003 and concluded in mid-2006. With a design capacity of 34,000 bbl/day, the plant will consume 300 M standard cu ft of gas from North field. The project was completed using its original budget of $950 M, according to Sasol. Construction of the 140,000 bbl/day Shell-Qatar Petroleum Pearl facility, also in Qatar, is ongoing, although it has encountered major costs overruns. The project will include two 70,000 bbl/day trains and fixed-bed reactors and is slated to begin operations in 2009. Construction costs were original pegged at $6 bn in 2004, but have now reached $20 bn. The Escravos GTL facility in Nigeria is another major project. With design capacity of 34,000 bbl/day, it would utilize over 300 M cu ft/day of gas. Chevron Nigeria Ltd and Nigerian National Petroleum Co expect capacity to increase to 120,000 bbl/day within a decade. The first output from the $3 bn project is slated in 2010. The 2250 bbl/day World GTL facility in Trinidad and Tobago secured $100 M in funding in 2007 and will utilize roughly 21 M standard cu ft/day of gas. Oil and Gas Journal, 24 Mar 2008, 106 (12), 23-26
GTL, CTL finding roles in global energy supply: CTL projects Only one commercial coal-to-liquids (CTL) unit, located in South Africa, is operational, but there are a number of CTL projects in the early phases in the USA. One CTL project, located in China, is under construction and is
scheduled to begin operations in 2008. The Shenhua Inner Mongolia plant, which will be based on direct liquefaction process, can produce 20,000 bbl/day of liquid products. Other CTL initiatives outside the USA include projects in Lu’an and Yankuang, and jv with Sasol and Shell in China; projects by Alon Resources plc in Australia; Pertamina in Indonesia; Tata Group and Sasol in India; Sasol in South Africa; CIC Energy in Botswana, and L&M Group in New Zealand. Oil and Gas Journal, 24 Mar 2008, 106 (12), 27-28
NEW TECHNOLOGY New alcohol oxidation catalyst boasts 20 times higher activity Nissan Chemical Industries is formulating commercial uses for its new alcohol oxidation catalyst, which is claimed to exhibit more than 20 times higher activity than that of the conventional nitroxyl radical oxidation catalyst. The catalyst is a new nitroxyl radical catalyst called Azado, an abbreviation of aza-adamantane-Noxyl. It can be used with alcohols previously not suitable for oxidation. Nissan also plans to launch a custommanufacturing operation based on Azado-mediated oxidation. Japan Chemical Week, 10 Apr 2008, 49 (2461), 3
Consider new catalytic routes for olefins production Propylene is primarily produced as a by-product from steam cracking and refinery fluid catalytic cracking (FCC) units. Over the next decade, mounting demand for polypropylene will bolster propylene demand by more than 5%/y. Grassroot steam crackers and FCC units will not, however, be able to cope with growing propylene demand. Olefin producers are now turning to new propylene-on-purpose technologies, which have propylene as their primary product. These alternative methods include methane to olefins, metathesis, propane dehydrogenation, and olefins cracking
JUNE 2008
Syntroleum announces 1Q 2008 financial results Syntroleum Corp announced financial results for 1Q ended Mar 2008. For 1Q 2008, the company reported a net loss of $2.2 M, or $0.04/share, (net income of $14.8 M, or $0.26/share, for 1Q 2007). Revenues for 1Q 2008 were $1.6 M ($13.7 M for 1Q 2007). Syntroleum Corp owns the Syntroleum Process for FischerTropsch (FT) conversion of synthesis gas derived from biomass, coal, natural gas and other carbon-based feedstocks into liquid hydrocarbons, the Synfining Process for upgrading FT liquid hydrocarbons into middle distillate products such as synthetic diesel and jet fuels, and the Biofining technology for converting animal fat and vegetable oil feedstocks into middle distillate products such as renewable diesel and jet fuel. Syntroleum Corp 1Q 2008 financial results, 5 May 2008 (Syntroleum Corp, Suite 1100, 1350, South Boulder Avenue, Tulsa, OK 74119, USA. Tel: +1 918 592 7900. Fax: +1 918 592 7979. Website: http://www.syntroleum.com)
NEW PLANTS Kawaken plans second plant for aluminium compounds Tokyo-based Kawaken Fine Chemicals will build a second plant for making organic aluminium compounds at its site in Fukui, Japan. The new unit, which is due for commissioning in Aug 2008, will allow the company to cope with increasing demand for the compounds for
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nanomaterial use. Organic aluminium compounds are primarily used in making catalysts, crosslinking agents, and surface-treatment agents. The new plant will raise the company’s production capacity for alumina sol five times. Japan Chemical Week, 3 Apr 2008, 49 (2460), 7
GTL, CTL finding roles in global energy supply: GTL projects The most significant activity in the field of GTL-CTL (gas to liquids-coal to liquids) has been the development, startup, and operation of the first GTL facility in 15 years. The construction of the Sasol Chevron and Qatar Petroleum Oryx GTL plant in Ras Laffan, Qatar, started in 2003 and concluded in mid-2006. With a design capacity of 34,000 bbl/day, the plant will consume 300 M standard cu ft of gas from North field. The project was completed using its original budget of $950 M, according to Sasol. Construction of the 140,000 bbl/day Shell-Qatar Petroleum Pearl facility, also in Qatar, is ongoing, although it has encountered major costs overruns. The project will include two 70,000 bbl/day trains and fixed-bed reactors and is slated to begin operations in 2009. Construction costs were original pegged at $6 bn in 2004, but have now reached $20 bn. The Escravos GTL facility in Nigeria is another major project. With design capacity of 34,000 bbl/day, it would utilize over 300 M cu ft/day of gas. Chevron Nigeria Ltd and Nigerian National Petroleum Co expect capacity to increase to 120,000 bbl/day within a decade. The first output from the $3 bn project is slated in 2010. The 2250 bbl/day World GTL facility in Trinidad and Tobago secured $100 M in funding in 2007 and will utilize roughly 21 M standard cu ft/day of gas. Oil and Gas Journal, 24 Mar 2008, 106 (12), 23-26
GTL, CTL finding roles in global energy supply: CTL projects Only one commercial coal-to-liquids (CTL) unit, located in South Africa, is operational, but there are a number of CTL projects in the early phases in the USA. One CTL project, located in China, is under construction and is
scheduled to begin operations in 2008. The Shenhua Inner Mongolia plant, which will be based on direct liquefaction process, can produce 20,000 bbl/day of liquid products. Other CTL initiatives outside the USA include projects in Lu’an and Yankuang, and jv with Sasol and Shell in China; projects by Alon Resources plc in Australia; Pertamina in Indonesia; Tata Group and Sasol in India; Sasol in South Africa; CIC Energy in Botswana, and L&M Group in New Zealand. Oil and Gas Journal, 24 Mar 2008, 106 (12), 27-28
NEW TECHNOLOGY New alcohol oxidation catalyst boasts 20 times higher activity Nissan Chemical Industries is formulating commercial uses for its new alcohol oxidation catalyst, which is claimed to exhibit more than 20 times higher activity than that of the conventional nitroxyl radical oxidation catalyst. The catalyst is a new nitroxyl radical catalyst called Azado, an abbreviation of aza-adamantane-Noxyl. It can be used with alcohols previously not suitable for oxidation. Nissan also plans to launch a custommanufacturing operation based on Azado-mediated oxidation. Japan Chemical Week, 10 Apr 2008, 49 (2461), 3
Consider new catalytic routes for olefins production Propylene is primarily produced as a by-product from steam cracking and refinery fluid catalytic cracking (FCC) units. Over the next decade, mounting demand for polypropylene will bolster propylene demand by more than 5%/y. Grassroot steam crackers and FCC units will not, however, be able to cope with growing propylene demand. Olefin producers are now turning to new propylene-on-purpose technologies, which have propylene as their primary product. These alternative methods include methane to olefins, metathesis, propane dehydrogenation, and olefins cracking
JUNE 2008