Nippon Oil gaining ground with new HS-FCC catalysts

FOCUS Guofeng 50,000 tonne/y biodiesel project starts up On 2 Nov 2006, the Anhui Guofeng Group commissioned a 50,000 tonne/y biodiesel plant in the Baohe Industry Park at Hefei in Anhui province, China. The plant, which cost more then RMB Yuan 50 M, is the first phase of a RMB Yuan 733 M, 600,000 tonne/y biodiesel project scheduled for completion in 2008. Both animal and plant fats will be used as feedstocks via organic catalytic technology developed jointly by Guofeng Bio-energy Corp and some Chinese research institutes. Completion of the project should enable Anhui Guofeng to increase its sales by RMB Yuan 3 bn/y. China Chemical Reporter, 26 Nov 2006, 17 (33), 12

NEW TECHNOLOGY Dow Chemical EPDM debuts Dow Chemical Co unveiled the Nordel MG NDR 46100 hydrocarbon rubber at the Rubber Division meeting held in Cincinnati. The EPDM product was manufactured using the company’s Insite metallocene catalyst technology and a gas-phase production method. Nordel has potential applications in peroxide-cured building profiles, hoses, bicycle tyre tread, and automotive weatherstrip. Rubber and Plastics News, 30 Oct 2006, 36 (7), 13

Shell links with Codexis to develop biofuels Shell Oil Products and Codexis, a privately controlled enzymes technology company based in Redwood City, CA, USA, have agreed to collaborate on developing biofuels. The collaboration is Codexis’s first foray into the energy market and Shell’s first venture into bio-based fuels. The partnership comes on the heels of an agreement disclosed by BP, Shell’s biggest business rival, to establish an equal biobutanol jv with DuPont. Biobutanol will be developed as a gas admixture component. Additionally, Codexis, which has previously centred its enzymes

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technology in the drugs industry, is creating a new business segment to be named bioindustrials, which will comprise biofuels. Chemical Week, 22 Nov 2006 (Website: http://www.chemweek.com)

A cleaner way to remove olefins from aromatics A cleaner process for eliminating olefins from aromatics has been commercialized by ExxonMobil Chemical Technology Licensing LLC of Houston, TX, USA. Olefinic materials are removed from aromatics so as not to create interference in downstream equipment, adsorbents, sieves and catalysts. The Olgone technology is a catalyst-based process that offers a processing capacity that is 4-6 times higher than that of conventional clay-treatment technologies. The technology also demonstrated its ability to cut clay waste by 85%/y in one plant. Chemical Engineering (New York), Nov 2006, 113 (12), 19 & Chemical Engineering World, 10 Oct 2006, 41 (10), 20

Ineos gets savvy with MA catalysts An improved maleic anhydride (MA) catalyst for both fluid-bed and fixedbed systems has been developed by Ineos Technologies. The new catalyst has commercially shown a significant increase in the butane to MA yield. In addition, the use of the catalyst showed a much lower reactor operating temperatures against old generation processes. These benefits are expected to result in major operating cost-savings in the MA manufacture as well as prolonging the life of fixed-bed catalysts. ICIS Chemical Business, 27 Nov 2006 (Website: http://icischemicalbusiness.com)

Technology advances in the surfactants market Technological developments in the surfactants market are providing significant potential for new applications and growth. A new solid catalyst Detal has been developed by UOP and Cepsa. The material allows the production of high quality linear alkylbenzenes (LAB), without facing

the risk or cost of handling hydrogen fluoride. ICIS Chemical Business, 27 Nov 2006 (Website: http://icischemicalbusiness.com)

Nippon Oil gaining ground with new HS-FCC catalysts Nippon Oil is making advances in developing high-severity, fluid catalytic cracking (HS-FCC), a technology that the company is attempting to put for commercial use. The catalysts contain maximized Ytype zeolite that limits the secondary hydrogen transition reaction that produces paraffins, and enhances reaction efficiency. Propylene yield is increased fourfold by adding ZSM-5 zeolite to the proprietary catalyst. The company is now trying to optimise the catalyst design and the process. Japan Chemical Week, 30 Nov 2006, 47 (2394), 2

Heavy oil deep processing combined process approved In China, Sinopec Jiujiang Petrochemical Co Ltd, Sinopec Jiujiang Petrochemical Design & Engineering Co Ltd, Sinopec Ningbo Engineering Co Ltd, and the Research Institute of Petroleum Processing have developed a solvent deasphalting-asphalt gasificationcatalytic cracking combined process. The technology has been appraised by the National Development & Reform Commission and two patents have been applied for. The process improves catalytic cracking feedstock and can raise petrochemicals output. China Chemical Reporter, 16 Nov 2006, 17 (32), 15

Plan to produce cheaper bio-diesel A pilot plant will begin the production of eco-friendly and cheaper bio-diesel in India by 2008. US firm New Century Lubricants (NCL) is in negotiation with five Indian petroleum firms to run the plant having one tonne/day capacity. The new cost effective technique, developed by the National Chemical Laboratory, Pune, makes use of a solid fuel catalyst called ‘double metal components’ unlike the so far used hydroxide based catalyst. This technique was licensed to NCL in Nov 2006. In addition, the country’s first bio-

FEBRUARY 2007