Europe
Neste Oil completes first phase of European pilot plant for microbial oil
Neste says its goal is to develop the technology so that it is capable of yielding commercial volumes of microbial oil for use as a feedstock for NExBTL renewable diesel. Commercial-scale production is expected by 2015 at the earliest. Investment terms were not disclosed.
Gunvor starts former Petroplus refinery in Germany
All regulatory and merger control approvals have been obtained. The official closing date was August 23, and the first crude vessel has already discharged to supply the refinery. The production capacity is 100,000 bpd.
Protesters occupy Gazprom Arctic oil platform
UPDATE: Fifteen hours after boarding Gazprom's Arctic oil platform in the Pechora Sea, six Greenpeace International protesters have left the platform. Gazprom officials said in a statement that normal operations continue on the platform and were not interrupted by the protest.
Uhde wins FEED work for Sibur PP plant in Russia
The 500,000 tpy plant is planned to be constructed in Tobolsk, Tyumen Region, in West Siberia. The plant will produce a wide range of high-quality polypropylene brands for use, for example, in textile and packaging applications as well as in the production of automotive body parts and consumer goods.
Argentina files complaint against EU over Spanish blockage of biodiesel
Argentina's Foreign Ministry said Spain's rules were an attempt to stop developing countries from gaining more control of global value chains and evolving beyond their role as suppliers of raw materials, according to a statement. With the complaint, Spain now has 60 days to show its rules are fair.
Honeywell develops fuel-saving flight management software for airliners
Some estimates place potential benefits at as much as 3% in savings on reduced fuel use. Others project as much as $200,000 in annual savings per plane while cruising long oceanic routes. United Continental Holdings is running demonstration flights to verify such estimates.
Novozymes pressured by weak US biofuels market
Bioethanol production and profitability has been hampered by the drought in the US, which has pushed up the prices for corn, the main ingredient in the production of biofuel. Additional pressure has been added by a decline in overall fuel consumption in the US, the Novozymes executive said.
BASF joins collaboration to develop bio-acrylic acid
BASF, Cargill and Novozymes recently signed an agreement to develop bio-based technologies to produce acrylic acid from renewable feedstocks. The annual global market volume of acrylic acid is around 4.5 million tons, with a value of $11 billion at the end of 2011.
Materia extends global catalysts distribution pact with Sigma-Aldrich
Materia’s olefin metathesis catalyst technology enables chemical compounds to be synthesized with greater efficiency, under less stringent reaction conditions, and with reduced byproducts and hazardous waste, according to the company. Financial details were not disclosed.
Invista to expand aromatic polyester polyols plants in Netherlands, US
The investments involve upgrades to boost global production volumes of the Terate HT polyols product line to help meet growing global demand for INVISTA’s aromatic polyester polyols, according to the company. Financial commitment for the expansions will be in the "millions of dollars".
- OCI Global completes $1.9-B sale of OCI Methanol to Methanex Corporation 6/30
- Partnership for sustainability: Pekutherm and POLYVANTIS launch circular economy initiative 6/30
- Univation Technologies and C3 AI collaborate to deliver enterprise AI solutions for advanced predictive maintenance across the global petrochemical industry 6/30
- Lloyd’s Register signs strategic collaboration with DAI Infrastruktur for green ammonia Project Ra 6/30
- Alleima expands product portfolio for the urea industry with SAF™ 2906 6/30
- UK's Lindsey oil refinery insolvent, 420 jobs at risk 6/30
