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Sasol to launch its Synfuels Catalytic Cracking Project
F O C U S Rentech studying methane complex in Papua New Guinea Rentech Inc announced the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) for the development of a northern pipeline and integrated methane complex to be located in Papua New Guinea (PNG). Participants in the MOU with Rentech will be: the Independent State of Papua New Guinea; Niugini Gas & Chemicals PTE Ltd (NGC) of PNG, with offices in Singapore; and I&G Venture Capital Co Ltd (I&G) headquartered in Seoul, South Korea. Press release from: Rentech Inc, 1331, 17th Street, Suite 720, Denver, CO 80202, USA. Tel: +1 303 298 8008. Fax: +1 303 298 8010. Website: http://www.rentechinc.com (29 Jun 2004)
Staoil progresses GTL plans Statoil has come closer to its aim of being a leading gas-to-liquids producer, with the commissioning of a semi-commercial GTL plant that has been erected in a 50-50 jv with Petroleum Oil and Gas Corp of South Africa (PetroSA). The 1000 barrel/day plant is at Mossel Bay, S Africa, and is producing synthetic oil and waxes. It will now be assessed on the basis of the performance of its technology and its capital and operating costs. The demonstration phase is due to be completed by the end of 2005. Chemical Market Reporter, 14 Jun 2004 (Website: http://www.chemicalmarketreporter.com)
Basell may take stake in Saudi PP venture Basell is expected to take a minority holding in a PP complex planned by the Al Zamil Group at Al Jubail, Saudi Arabia. The complex will include a 450,000 tonne/y propane dehydrogenation plant, and a plant making an equivalent amount of PP. The PP plant is expected to employ Basell’s Spherizone technology. Chemical Week, 23 Jun 2004, 166 (21) (Website: http://www.chemweek.com)
World’s largest PB-1 plant set up in Europe Basell has opened a 45,000 tonne/y polybutene-1 (PB-1) plant in Moerdijk, The Netherlands, that is claimed to be the biggest plant of its kind in the
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world. The plant employs a new method and catalyst technology that is said to provide greater and more consistent product quality and is capable of designing new product formulations. The present requirement for PB-1 from this plant was placed at 30,000 tonne/y. The material is commonly utilised in heating and plumbing pipework. Asian Plastics News, Jun 2004, 8
propylene and 150,000 tonne/y for ethylene. The plant is the first to commercially employ the Superflex method, for which Kellogg Brown and Root holds an exclusive global licensing rights from Lyondell Chemical Co. This method utilises a fluidised-bed reactor that is the same as a fluid catalytic cracker for converting light hydrocarbon feeds to predominantly propylene. Chemical Engineering (New York), May 2004, 111 (5), 17
Zagros’ DME plant set to expand global capacity An 800,000 tonne/y dimethyl ether (DME) plant is to be built in Bandar Imam, Iran, by Zagros Petrochemical. Haldor Topsoe’s technology and catalysts will be utilised at the plant, and Haldor Topsoe has been awarded the engineering contract for the project, which should be completed in 2006. DME is currently used as an aerosol propellant, but is being developed for use as a green diesel fuel. Other DME projects include a 110,000 tonne/y plant to be constructed by Luthianhua Group in Luzhou, China, which will be startedup in 1Q 2005. European Chemical News, 28 Jun 2004, 80 (2106), 27 & Chemical Week, 23 Jun 2004, 166 (21)
Formosa picks processes for aromatics complex Aromizing CCR reformer technology, supplied by Axens, is to be used by Formosa Chemicals & Fibre Corp at its third aromatics complex in Mailiao, Taiwan. Axens’ TransPlus technology will be used by the company to produce 784,000 tonne/y of mixed xylenes. Benzene technology will be provided by UOP. Formosa Chemicals & Fibre expects to produce 1.1 M tonne/y aromatics at Mailiao from 2006. Chemical Week, 26 May 2004, 166 (18) (Website: http://www.chemweek.com)
Sasol to launch its Synfuels Catalytic Cracking project Sasol Technology Pty is expected to commission its high capacity manufacturing plant in late 2005 as a segment of its Synfuels Catalytic Cracking Project. Production is placed at roughly 250,000 tonne/y for
NEW TECHNOLOGY Gasless supercritical hydrogenation Workers at the University of Nottingham have devised a hydrogenation process which does not require an external supply of compressed hydrogen. A mixture of hydrogen and supercritical carbon dioxide is generated by the catalytic decomposition of liquid formic acid over a Pt or Pd catalyst at 450°. The mixed gases are transferred directly to the hydrogenation reactor which contains another catalyst. Chemical and Engineering News, 14 Jun 2004, 82 (24), 12
Sufated zirconia wins prize Cosmo Oil and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries have won a prize awarded by the Catalysis Society of Japan for a new catalyst which isomerizes normal alkanes to iso-alkanes. The catalyst is a platinum-loaded sulfated zirconia. Japan Chemical Week, 13 May 2004, 45 (2269), 2
New catalyst for olefin polymerization CAS Shanghai Research Institute of Organic chemistry and Yangzi Petrochemical Co Ltd have received approval from the Chinese Ministry of Science and Technology in Nanjing for their project to develop a new catalyst for olefin polymerization with controllable structure. This catalyst technology will form the core of the country’s polyolefins industry. A new STS series catalyst for noncyclopentadienyl olefin polymerization
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Staoil progresses GTL plans Statoil has come closer to its aim of being a leading gas-to-liquids producer, with the commissioning of a semi-commercial GTL plant that has been erected in a 50-50 jv with Petroleum Oil and Gas Corp of South Africa (PetroSA). The 1000 barrel/day plant is at Mossel Bay, S Africa, and is producing synthetic oil and waxes. It will now be assessed on the basis of the performance of its technology and its capital and operating costs. The demonstration phase is due to be completed by the end of 2005. Chemical Market Reporter, 14 Jun 2004 (Website: http://www.chemicalmarketreporter.com)
Basell may take stake in Saudi PP venture Basell is expected to take a minority holding in a PP complex planned by the Al Zamil Group at Al Jubail, Saudi Arabia. The complex will include a 450,000 tonne/y propane dehydrogenation plant, and a plant making an equivalent amount of PP. The PP plant is expected to employ Basell’s Spherizone technology. Chemical Week, 23 Jun 2004, 166 (21) (Website: http://www.chemweek.com)
World’s largest PB-1 plant set up in Europe Basell has opened a 45,000 tonne/y polybutene-1 (PB-1) plant in Moerdijk, The Netherlands, that is claimed to be the biggest plant of its kind in the
AUGUST 2004
O N
C ATA LY S T S
world. The plant employs a new method and catalyst technology that is said to provide greater and more consistent product quality and is capable of designing new product formulations. The present requirement for PB-1 from this plant was placed at 30,000 tonne/y. The material is commonly utilised in heating and plumbing pipework. Asian Plastics News, Jun 2004, 8
propylene and 150,000 tonne/y for ethylene. The plant is the first to commercially employ the Superflex method, for which Kellogg Brown and Root holds an exclusive global licensing rights from Lyondell Chemical Co. This method utilises a fluidised-bed reactor that is the same as a fluid catalytic cracker for converting light hydrocarbon feeds to predominantly propylene. Chemical Engineering (New York), May 2004, 111 (5), 17
Zagros’ DME plant set to expand global capacity An 800,000 tonne/y dimethyl ether (DME) plant is to be built in Bandar Imam, Iran, by Zagros Petrochemical. Haldor Topsoe’s technology and catalysts will be utilised at the plant, and Haldor Topsoe has been awarded the engineering contract for the project, which should be completed in 2006. DME is currently used as an aerosol propellant, but is being developed for use as a green diesel fuel. Other DME projects include a 110,000 tonne/y plant to be constructed by Luthianhua Group in Luzhou, China, which will be startedup in 1Q 2005. European Chemical News, 28 Jun 2004, 80 (2106), 27 & Chemical Week, 23 Jun 2004, 166 (21)
Formosa picks processes for aromatics complex Aromizing CCR reformer technology, supplied by Axens, is to be used by Formosa Chemicals & Fibre Corp at its third aromatics complex in Mailiao, Taiwan. Axens’ TransPlus technology will be used by the company to produce 784,000 tonne/y of mixed xylenes. Benzene technology will be provided by UOP. Formosa Chemicals & Fibre expects to produce 1.1 M tonne/y aromatics at Mailiao from 2006. Chemical Week, 26 May 2004, 166 (18) (Website: http://www.chemweek.com)
Sasol to launch its Synfuels Catalytic Cracking project Sasol Technology Pty is expected to commission its high capacity manufacturing plant in late 2005 as a segment of its Synfuels Catalytic Cracking Project. Production is placed at roughly 250,000 tonne/y for
NEW TECHNOLOGY Gasless supercritical hydrogenation Workers at the University of Nottingham have devised a hydrogenation process which does not require an external supply of compressed hydrogen. A mixture of hydrogen and supercritical carbon dioxide is generated by the catalytic decomposition of liquid formic acid over a Pt or Pd catalyst at 450°. The mixed gases are transferred directly to the hydrogenation reactor which contains another catalyst. Chemical and Engineering News, 14 Jun 2004, 82 (24), 12
Sufated zirconia wins prize Cosmo Oil and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries have won a prize awarded by the Catalysis Society of Japan for a new catalyst which isomerizes normal alkanes to iso-alkanes. The catalyst is a platinum-loaded sulfated zirconia. Japan Chemical Week, 13 May 2004, 45 (2269), 2
New catalyst for olefin polymerization CAS Shanghai Research Institute of Organic chemistry and Yangzi Petrochemical Co Ltd have received approval from the Chinese Ministry of Science and Technology in Nanjing for their project to develop a new catalyst for olefin polymerization with controllable structure. This catalyst technology will form the core of the country’s polyolefins industry. A new STS series catalyst for noncyclopentadienyl olefin polymerization
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