Petrochemicals
Refinery/petrochemical makeup water treatment: A general guide for technical personnel—Part 3
A very important—and sometimes overlooked—unit operation within hydrocarbon processing facilities is makeup water treatment for steam generators and other processes. Many cases have been documented in which makeup system upsets have led to boiler tube failures that partially or completely shut down unit processes. The three parts of this article (August, September and October 2024) serve as a guide for those employees who may be on a steep learning curve when it comes to makeup system understanding.
TotalEnergies studies Moroccan project to export green ammonia to Europe
TotalEnergies will study plans for a renewable energy project to produce hydrogen and ammonia in Morocco for delivery to Europe, which is seeking to increase use of the fuels as part of its energy transition.
Changxing Island accelerates development of world-class green petrochemical industrial base
The high-end petrochemical new materials project by Liaoning Dingjide Petrochemical Co. Ltd., a major supplier of polyolefin catalysts and chemical additives products, is rapidly progressing in the Changxing Island Economic and Technological Development Zone of Dalian, Liaoning province.
Sumitomo Chemical begins study to optimize operations at Keiyo Ethylene
Sumitomo Chemical has made a proposal to Maruzen Petrochemical Co., Ltd., its JV partner in Keiyo Ethylene Co., to reduce offtake quotas for Sumitomo Chemical products at Keiyo Ethylene.
U.S. West Coast refiners boost imports of light Canadian crude
Canadian waterborne exports of light crude to the U.S. West Coast have surged since the Trans Mountain pipeline expansion (TMX) began operating in May, data shows, surprising some market participants who thought it would mainly be used to send heavy crude to Asia and California.
China Energy Group Ningxia Coal selects LyondellBasell Hostalen ACP technology
LyondellBasell has announced that China Energy Group Ningxia Coal Industry Co., Ltd. (China Energy Group Ningxia Coal) has selected LYB Hostalen Advanced Cascade Process (Hostalen ACP) technology for a 300,000-tpy high-density polyethylene (HDPE) plant.
BASF invests in increasing production capacity of Neopor® at Ludwigshafen site
BASF is strengthening its styrene value chain at its Ludwigshafen site by expanding the production capacity of Neopor® by 50,000 tpy. This increase is aimed at meeting the growing market demand for the grey insulation material. The start-up of the new production facilities is scheduled for early 2027.
Vopak Energy Park Antwerp starts market consultation for ammonia storage
Vopak is launching a market consultation for the storage of ammonia at its Vopak Energy Park Antwerp site in Belgium. The market consultation aims to gauge market interest and to gather detailed insight into customer demand. Vopak Energy Park Antwerp intends to finish the currently ongoing pre-FEED study by the end of 2024. Subject to market interest and a positive FID the start of operations is currently foreseen in 2029.
AMETEK releases its IECEx Zone 2 Certified 993X series of analyzers high ambient temperature environments
AMETEK Process Instruments’ 993X series of analyzers, encompassing the 993X and 9933, are now IECEx Zone 2 certified for use in locations with up to +60ºC ambient temperatures.
Neste, Braskem partner on supply of renewable and recycled feedstocks for polymers and chemicals production
Braskem will use more sustainable feedstocks from Neste to produce circular and bio-circular polymer resins and chemicals, which will be sold in South America under Braskem’s Wenew brand.

- LanzaJet expands partnership with Microsoft to strengthen the company’s global growth 6/13
- Phelan Green Group's $2.6-B eMethanol project remains on schedule 6/13
- Algeria launches $7-B investment plan to expand hydrocarbon processing 6/13
- AFPM/API: President Trump officially overturns California (U.S.) gas car ban 6/12
- Decision on oil refiner Italiana Petroli's sale expected around end-June 6/12
- EIA: U.S. crude stocks fall, gasoline and distillate inventories rise as refining activity increases 6/12