Asia/Pacific
Air Products to raise Taiwan nitrogen production, expand regional pipeline
The company will build an additional two air separation units and expand its existing nitrogen pipeline to serve the region, which includes Tainan Science-Based Industrial Park (TSIP) and Tree Valley Science and Industry Park (TVSIP). The amount of expanded output was not disclosed.
PTT to study petrochemical, refining proposals in Indonesia, Cambodia, Myanmar
Indonesia and Myanmar show potential, the company's CEO said. Meanwhile, a $28.7 billion, 660,000-bpd refinery and petrochemical complex at the Nhon Hoi Economic Zone in coastal Binh Dinh province is the subject of a completed feasibility study submitted to the Vietnamese government for approval.
Lanxess awards EPC work to Foster Wheeler for China synthetic rubber project
The new facility will be designed to produce 160,000 tpy of EPDM rubber. The plant is expected to start up in 2015. Germany-based specialty chemicals firm LANXESS says the new plant, which it describes as the largest EPDM rubber facility in the world, is its largest investment in China to date.
IEA calls for South Korea gas market reform
The agency says LNG trading between Korea Gas (Kogas) and other local companies should be encouraged, with local LNG consumers given the right to select a supplier. Local companies other than Kogas are currently not allowed to import LNG for trading purposes.
Shell may delay Arrow LNG as Australian costs rise
Royal Dutch Shell could postpone a decision on its Arrow liquefied natural gas (LNG) project on Curtis Island in Queensland, Australia, until 2014. Costs for Australian LNG facilities are climbing as the nation looks to overtake Qatar as the world's largest exporter of LNG, amid burgeoning Asian demand.
INEOS licenses polypropylene process for Shenhua project in China
INEOS Technologies has licensed a process for the manufacture of homopolymers, random copolymers and impact copolymers to China Shenhua Coal to Chemical Xinjiang Coal Chemical Co. The plant will produce a wide range of PP products to serve the growing market in China.
Korea Petrochemical taps Toyo to build EO/EG plant
Toyo will provide the engineering, procurement and construction management (EPCm) based on the basic design package of US-based company Scientific Design (SD). The mechanical completion of this plant is scheduled for May 2014. Toyo has already built 13 EO/EG plants based on SD’s technology.
Shell to expand Singapore olefins, aromatics plant
The upgrade will increase the plant's capacity to produce olefins and aromatics by more than 20%, the company said. Work will take place during the next maintenance turnaround of the plant, which currently can produce 800,000 tpy of ethylene. It mainly uses naphtha as a feedstock.
Mitsui Chemicals mulls investment in US market
Low natural gas prices resulting from the US shale-gas boom are stimulating new investments in petrochemical plants there. "We're in talks with several companies," company president Toshikazu Tanaka told reporters. "The US is a very big market. We're interested."
Sinopec, Huntsman agree to build propylene oxide, MTBE plant in Nanjing
Huntsman will own 49% of the joint venture, and Sinopec will own 51%. The facility will produce 550 mm lbs/year of PO and 1.6 billion lbs/year of MTBE at a capital cost of $750 million. It will be completed by the end of 2014 and it will utilize Huntsman's proprietary PO/MTBE manufacturing technology.
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