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News in brief: Europe: Clariant to end heavy-metal masterbatches
FOCUS Impact of low oil & gas prices on bio-based materials & chemicals As reported by Lux Research, global capacity of bio-based materials & chemicals (BBMC) currently amounts to around 7 M tonnes/y from 160-170 plants. The figure increased seven times over the last 10 years, both in terms of installed capacity and number of production plants. Investments in BBMC were found to be related to the price of oil/gas. When the gas prices in the US collapsed, construction of the $1.5 bn joint venture plastics plant of Dow Chemical and Mitsui in Brazil was suspended in end-2012. Instead, the companies concentrate on other profitable projects, in particular using US shale gas. Meanwhile, Brazil's Braskem announced in 2013 that it does not aim to invest in facilities that use ethanol from sugarcane to manufacture polypropylene or PE. The collaboration with enzymes maker Novozymes, and agrochemical company Cargill to market a bio-based route to acrylic acid starting from sugar through 3-hydroxypropionic acid was cancelled by BASF. World butadiene demand was around 10.5 M tonnes in 2011, which presents a market opportunity of more than $40 bn. A consortium of Braskem, Versalis and Genomatica aimed to produce butadiene by converting sugars, while another consisting of SK Innovation, Invista and LanzaTech aimed to use synthesis gas for this purpose. Polyethylene furanoate (PEF), which uses renewable raw material (2,5furandicarboxylic acid), is suggested as a 'greener' alternative to the commonly used polyethylene terephthalate (PET). Several companies, including Danone, Avantium and CocaCola, show interest in bio-based PEF. Nootkatone is being produced by Netherland's Isobionics from renewable materials with a low carbon/energy footprint. A fermentation route to vanilla has been created by Switzerland's Evolva Biotech, providing a product that can take on markets for natural vanilla extracted from plant resources.
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Catalysts have been developed by Celanese, BP, and Eastman Chemical for the production of acetic acid, ethanol and monoethylene glycol directly from synthesis gas. Celanese is currently scaling up and demonstrating its ethanol technology. The viability of using oxidative coupling of methane to produce ethylene at the pilot scale is being done by Siluria. Original Source: Chemical Engineering Progress, Aug 2015, 58-62 (Website: http:// www.aiche.org/cep) © American Institute of Chemical Engineers 2015
COMPANY NEWS Topsoe and Tatarstan agree on scientific collaboration to develop petrochemical and chemical industries The memorandums builds on talks between Tatarstan President Rustam Minnikhanov and CEO of Haldor Topsoe A/S Bjerne S. Clausen, who in 2014 agreed to cooperate in the education of professionals for Tartarstan's petrochemical and chemical industries as well as joint R&D and industrial projects. A joint R&D project will be sponsored by Topsoe and aimed at making breakthrough discoveries for synthetic fuels and fuel additives from light hydrocarbons. In addition to the grant, Topsoe will provide technical and scientific support. Some studies will be conducted at the Topsoe R&D center in Denmark. Original Source: Haldor Topsoe 30 Aug 2015, (Website: http://www.topsoe.com/) © HaldorTopsoe A/S 2015.
News in brief: Europe: Clariant to end heavy-metal masterbatches
Natural gas: chemical synthesis
Clariant will stop producing its heavymetal masterbatches range and CrVI catalysts due to unsustainability. The firm will facilitate its customers in looking for more eco-friendly and more sustainable alternative options. The company plans to focus on expanding its EcoTain brand of sustainable solutions.
The utilization of natural gas, as well as its opportunities and challenges in the chemicals industry are discussed.
Original Source: ICIC Chemical Business, 7-13 Sep 2015, 288 (8), 7 (Website: http://www. icis.com) © Reed Business Information Limited 2015.
Original Source: Chemical Weekly, 9 Jun 2015, LX (44), 137-138 (Website: http://www. chemicalweekly.com) © Sevak Publications & Chemical Weekly Database P Ltd 2015
October 2015
Butamax Advanced Biofuels LLC And Gevo Inc enter into global patent cross-licence and settlement agreements to accelerate development of markets for bio-based isobutanol and end all litigation Gevo Inc and Butamax Advanced Biofuels LLC, a joint venture between BP and DuPont, announced that they have entered into worldwide patent crosslicence and settlement agreements, ending a patent dispute related to technologies for the production of biobased isobutanol. This settlement ends all of the lawsuits and creates a new relationship between the companies, aimed at leveraging each other's strengths and accelerating development of competitive supply for bio-based isobutanol. The cross-licence agreement grants both parties patent licences to all fields for isobutanol and is structured to develop robust and sustainable isobutanol markets. The licence will be royalty bearing for Butamax in certain fields and royalty bearing for Gevo in other fields. There are also a number of fields that are royalty-free for both companies. Both parties can sell up to 30 M gal/y royalty-free into any field. Butamax will take the lead role in developing the market for isobutanol as an on-road gasoline blendstock. This will include progressing ongoing programs to gain required EPA approvals for mainstream use of 16% isobutanol as a gasoline blend component. Butamax has also conducted joint research with Underwriters Laboratories (UL), which has demonstrated that these blends can be used safely in fuel storage and dispensing equipment meeting current UL standards. It is expected that UL's guidance will clear the way for state government agencies to consider and approve the dispensing of biobutanolgasoline fuel blends in the US. In parallel, Gevo will lead development of the jet fuel market. Gevo has been producing and selling alcohol-to-jet fuel (ATJ) derived from isobutanol since 2011. To date, Gevo's ATJ has been produced at its demo biorefinery in Silsbee, TX, using isobutanol produced at its Luverne, MN, fermentation facility. The company has successfully flown tests flights with the US Air Force, US Army, and US Navy and now expects to secure the MIL-SPEC certification (JP-8 and JP-5) enabling bids on future RFPs for renewable jet fuel by the Defense Logistics Agency. Gevo also intends to begin test flights with the commercial aviation industry, including Alaska
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Catalysts have been developed by Celanese, BP, and Eastman Chemical for the production of acetic acid, ethanol and monoethylene glycol directly from synthesis gas. Celanese is currently scaling up and demonstrating its ethanol technology. The viability of using oxidative coupling of methane to produce ethylene at the pilot scale is being done by Siluria. Original Source: Chemical Engineering Progress, Aug 2015, 58-62 (Website: http:// www.aiche.org/cep) © American Institute of Chemical Engineers 2015
COMPANY NEWS Topsoe and Tatarstan agree on scientific collaboration to develop petrochemical and chemical industries The memorandums builds on talks between Tatarstan President Rustam Minnikhanov and CEO of Haldor Topsoe A/S Bjerne S. Clausen, who in 2014 agreed to cooperate in the education of professionals for Tartarstan's petrochemical and chemical industries as well as joint R&D and industrial projects. A joint R&D project will be sponsored by Topsoe and aimed at making breakthrough discoveries for synthetic fuels and fuel additives from light hydrocarbons. In addition to the grant, Topsoe will provide technical and scientific support. Some studies will be conducted at the Topsoe R&D center in Denmark. Original Source: Haldor Topsoe 30 Aug 2015, (Website: http://www.topsoe.com/) © HaldorTopsoe A/S 2015.
News in brief: Europe: Clariant to end heavy-metal masterbatches
Natural gas: chemical synthesis
Clariant will stop producing its heavymetal masterbatches range and CrVI catalysts due to unsustainability. The firm will facilitate its customers in looking for more eco-friendly and more sustainable alternative options. The company plans to focus on expanding its EcoTain brand of sustainable solutions.
The utilization of natural gas, as well as its opportunities and challenges in the chemicals industry are discussed.
Original Source: ICIC Chemical Business, 7-13 Sep 2015, 288 (8), 7 (Website: http://www. icis.com) © Reed Business Information Limited 2015.
Original Source: Chemical Weekly, 9 Jun 2015, LX (44), 137-138 (Website: http://www. chemicalweekly.com) © Sevak Publications & Chemical Weekly Database P Ltd 2015
October 2015
Butamax Advanced Biofuels LLC And Gevo Inc enter into global patent cross-licence and settlement agreements to accelerate development of markets for bio-based isobutanol and end all litigation Gevo Inc and Butamax Advanced Biofuels LLC, a joint venture between BP and DuPont, announced that they have entered into worldwide patent crosslicence and settlement agreements, ending a patent dispute related to technologies for the production of biobased isobutanol. This settlement ends all of the lawsuits and creates a new relationship between the companies, aimed at leveraging each other's strengths and accelerating development of competitive supply for bio-based isobutanol. The cross-licence agreement grants both parties patent licences to all fields for isobutanol and is structured to develop robust and sustainable isobutanol markets. The licence will be royalty bearing for Butamax in certain fields and royalty bearing for Gevo in other fields. There are also a number of fields that are royalty-free for both companies. Both parties can sell up to 30 M gal/y royalty-free into any field. Butamax will take the lead role in developing the market for isobutanol as an on-road gasoline blendstock. This will include progressing ongoing programs to gain required EPA approvals for mainstream use of 16% isobutanol as a gasoline blend component. Butamax has also conducted joint research with Underwriters Laboratories (UL), which has demonstrated that these blends can be used safely in fuel storage and dispensing equipment meeting current UL standards. It is expected that UL's guidance will clear the way for state government agencies to consider and approve the dispensing of biobutanolgasoline fuel blends in the US. In parallel, Gevo will lead development of the jet fuel market. Gevo has been producing and selling alcohol-to-jet fuel (ATJ) derived from isobutanol since 2011. To date, Gevo's ATJ has been produced at its demo biorefinery in Silsbee, TX, using isobutanol produced at its Luverne, MN, fermentation facility. The company has successfully flown tests flights with the US Air Force, US Army, and US Navy and now expects to secure the MIL-SPEC certification (JP-8 and JP-5) enabling bids on future RFPs for renewable jet fuel by the Defense Logistics Agency. Gevo also intends to begin test flights with the commercial aviation industry, including Alaska
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