China’s Gulei Refinery achieves on-spec PP production

Spanish Market: Petrochemicals
26/03/21

Gulei Refinery, a 50:50 joint venture between China's state-controlled Sinopec and Taiwanese firm Xuteng, achieved on-specification production at its new 350,000 t/yr polypropylene (PP) plant at Zhangzhou in south China's Fujian province earlier this week.

Trial runs at the new PP line started at the end of December and on-specification production was reached on 21 March.

The new PP plant uses Sinopec's ST-III technology. The company has bought merchant propylene from local market to feed the plant.

The PP plant is the first petrochemical unit to start operations under Gulei Refinery's new cracker project. The company plans to start its upstream 1mn t/yr naphtha-fed ethylene cracker and integrated 100,000/700,000t/yr ethylene oxide/ethylene glycol unit, 600,000t/yr styrene monomer plant and 300,000 t/yr ethylene vinyl acetate plant in the third quarter of 2021.

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15/11/24

Cop: Korea’s Plagen plans Azeri green methanol plant

Baku, 15 November (Argus) — South Korean clean energy firm Plagen has signed an initial agreement to develop a green methanol production plant near the port of Baku, Azerbaijan. Plagen expects that the plant, which it described as Azerbaijan's first green methanol facility, will produce 10,000 t/yr of the fuel by 2028. It will use Plagen's technology, the firm said at a side event at the UN Cop 29 climate summit today. The methanol will be produced from agricultural waste and wood waste, including hazelnuts shells and almond shells, which will be sourced from Azerbaijan, Plagen chief executive officer John Kyung said. The production process yields 96t of methanol from 300t of biomass. The produced methanol will be used as bunker fuel, and contribute Baku port's goal to reach "carbon neutrality" by 2035 amid increased traffic through the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route, as ships seek alternatives to the fraught Suez Canal route. Kyung said today that the firm also has plans to produce green methanol at Indonesia's Batam to supply as bunker fuel to Singapore, the biggest bunkering port in the world. Plagen also expects 32,000 t/yr of green methanol production by 2027 at a plant in Taebaek, South Korea. This is up from 10,000 t/yr as previously planned . By Tng Yong Li Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2024. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.

Brazil starts US, Canada PE-dumping probe

14/11/24

Brazil starts US, Canada PE-dumping probe

Sao Paulo, 14 November (Argus) — Brazil's government has started an anti-dumping investigation into polyethylene (PE) produced in the US and Canada. The country's foreign trade committee Gecex launched the investigation on 13 November following allegations from the sole Brazilian PE producer, major petrochemical company Braskem, that these countries are exporting PE to Brazil at prices below what is considered fair market value. Overall imported PE prices into Brazil have been in a downward trend since July, pushing down Braskem prices in the domestic market. Gecex said it will analyze export prices and compare them with those in the domestic markets of both countries. If dumping is confirmed, corrective measures may be applied to protect the Brazilian industry. A preliminary analysis has identified significant evidence of dumping, justifying the continuation of the investigation, Gecex said. It added that there was a considerable increase in PE imports from these countries — especially from the US — during the period being investigated, which may have contributed to the decline in domestic prices and harmed the domestic producer. The preliminary analysis of dumping evidence covered 1 April 2023 to 31 March 2024. The damage analysis period extended from 1 April 2019 to 31 March 2024. The anti-dumping investigation into PE imports from the US and Canada was preceded by an increase in import taxes on a number of polymers and chemicals to 20pc from 12.6pc, including PE, polypropylene (PP) and polyvinyl chloride (PVC), effective since 15 October. Repercussions An international trader specializing in polymer imports into Brazil told Argus that if anti-dumping duties are applied, his company's PE imports from the US to Brazil could drop by 20-30pc. "The decision has a 10-month deadline to be presented, but I believe it will be implemented and possibly announced earlier," he said, adding that this is another Braskem maneuver to regain its traditional 70pc market share in the Brazilian market. If confirmed, the measure is expected to have a significant impact on the Brazilian economy, especially on the plastic products manufacturing industry, as imports of finished plastic products could rise substantially, the trader said. One US-based trader selling US and Canada PE into Brazil sees the possible application of anti-dumping measures on the products as a structural development. "We will need to source PE in different production regions such as Asia and the Middle East, developing new ways of logistics, cash flows, ways of payment, to make it work flawlessly as it currently works with North American PE," the trader told Argus . "Prices should go up and we will increase our margins on PE sales." Brazil's January-September PE production increased by 1pc to 1.7mn t from the same period in 2023, while domestic sales fell bu 2pc to 1.24mn t. In contrast, PE imports jumped by 45pc to 1.54mn t, resulting in an apparent consumption of around 2.8mn t, up by 20pc higher year-on-year and a record high. By Fred Fernandes Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2024. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.

Peru bets on trade ties with Asia as Apec starts

11/11/24

Peru bets on trade ties with Asia as Apec starts

Lima, 11 November (Argus) — Heads of 16 countries are in Peru this week to kick off the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation's (Apec) annual Leaders Week, as government officials in Lima look to grow their partnerships with Asia while staving off potentially disruptive strikes. The summit comes at a fragile time for Peru, where President Dina Boluarte has a historically low presidential approval rate of 4pc and bus drivers and small business owners are demanding protections from a wave of extortion. The event begins today with meetings among senior officials of the 21 member countries and closes on 16 November with the leaders' meetings, the pinnacle Apec event. With the confirmed arrival of Chinese president Xi Jinping later this week, the summit is likely to strengthen ties between Peru and Asia, amid US concerns of China's growing influence in Latin America. US president Joe Biden is also expected to travel to Lima from 14-16 November, according to the White House. He is then slated to go to Manaus and Rio de Janeiro to meet with Brazilian president Luiz Inacio Lula Da Silva. This week is also the scheduled ribbon-cutting of the Chancay megaport, a $1.3bn commercial hub north of Lima that will cut the transport time between Latin America and Asia from 35 days to 25 days. Cosco Shipping, the Chinese state-owned port operating company, owns 60pc of the project and the rest is owned by Peru mining company Volcan. It aims to become the main commercial port in the Pacific for neighboring Brazil and has a 17.8-meter depth, the greatest in Latin America. While the port will be inaugurated on 14 November, Cosco Shipping has said operations are expected to begin in early 2025. Peru's priorities for Apec include trade investments and the energy transition, with a focus on its critical mining sector — and workers' transition to the formal economy in Peru, where the informality rate is about 73pc. These goals extend to the CEO Summit, which is running simultaneously and will host hundreds of business leaders from Asia looking to invest in Peru's energy and mining sectors. Angel Manero, Peru's agriculture minister, said last week the government expects to approve sanitary protocols with China to export nuts, with the potential of expanding to meat imports, according to the official gazette. He added there are talks with China about attracting investments through the creation of Special Economic Zones. Peru last hosted the Apec in 2016. This time, workers in Lima — led by bus drivers' unions — have vowed a three-day strike during Apec to call attention to a string of killings they say are linked to resistance to extortion. Among their main asks is repealing a recent law approved by congress that they say weakens prosecution of organized crime by, among other things, changing its definition to exclude crimes of extortion. Prime Minister Gustavo Adrianzén has repeatedly asked workers not to strike to avoid "a bad show" during the high-level meetings. By Bianca Padró Ocasio Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2024. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.

Poland's Azoty ramps up PDH/PP operations at Police

08/11/24

Poland's Azoty ramps up PDH/PP operations at Police

Warsaw, 8 November (Argus) — Polish chemical conglomerate Grupa Azoty said it is making progress in ramping up production at its new 437,000 t/yr propane dehydrogenation (PDH) and 429,000 t/yr polypropylene (PP) complex in Police, although it needs time to stabilise output and ascertain the unit's economic feasibility. Azoty said both units are operating even though formal commissioning of the entire project has not yet been yet completed. It is in negotiations with the contractor to undertake final improvements and overcome some defects, it said. Azoty expects to agree with the contractor on final terms of commissioning by the end of this year. Since the start of its operations, the PP plant has produced more than 200,000t and sales of PP reached 60,000t in the third quarter, Azoty said. Azoty sees healthy demand for its PP products from European buyers that want to diversify their supply portfolio to reduce risk in delays to imports from Asia-Pacific. "We see end users want have at least 30pc of their (PP) supplies to come from local European supplies," said plant manager Andrzej Dawidowski. He said the company sells PP through its own distribution as well as through traders that market in Europe and elsewhere. Azoty expects to make adjustments to this model as soon as it stabilises output, which would enable buyers to determine their demand for Azoty's product. Azoty said the Police plant is yet to generate positive earnings, and it requires stable supplies of feedstock propane. It said it is working with suppliers to secure financing to ensure steady propane supplies. Azoty also said the letter of intent with Polish integrated Orlen, about a possible sale of a stake in the PDH/PP project was extended until end of 2024, giving them more time to discuss the possibility of co-operation. By Tomasz Stepien Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2024. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.

Hungary’s Mol cuts forecast for 2024 refinery runs

08/11/24

Hungary’s Mol cuts forecast for 2024 refinery runs

Budapest, 8 November (Argus) — Hungarian integrated oil firm Mol has revised down its 2024 forecast for crude runs at its two landlocked refineries after a "turnaround-heavy" third quarter, it said today. The company expects to refine around 11.5mn t of crude combined at the 161,000 b/d Szazhalombatta plant in Hungary and the 115,000 b/d Bratislava complex in Slovakia this year, down from its previous guidance of about 12mn t. The two refineries processed 8.25mn t of crude in January-September, down from 9.09mn t a year earlier. Their combined crude throughput was down by 11pc on the year at 2.81mn t in the third quarter. Mol carried out scheduled maintenance at Szazhalombatta between 26 July and 19 September and expects to complete maintenance work on petrochemical units at Bratislava in the first half of November. Crude intake at Mol's third refinery, the 90,000 b/d Rijeka plant on Croatia's Adriatic coast, rose by 2.6pc on the year to 802,000t in the third quarter and was largely unchanged year-on-year at 1.26mn t in January-September. The company's crude throughput forecast only includes the Hungarian and Slovakian refineries. Mol cut the share of imported crude in its overall slate to 3.35mn t, or 93pc, in the third quarter from 3.8mn t, or 97pc, a year earlier, while it almost doubled intake from its own crude production to 255,000t in July-September from 129,000t in the same period last year. Szazhalombatta and Bratislava mostly process Russian crude received through the Druzhba pipeline system under an EU oil ban waiver, while Rijeka mainly takes non-Russian seaborne crude. The profitability of Mol's refining business was hit by a 71pc year-on-year fall in its refinery margin indicator — calculated based on the Dated Brent crude benchmark — to just $3.70/bl in July-September. Its oil product sales fell by 4.2pc from a year earlier to 4.88mn t in the third quarter. This included 1.52mn t of products Mol had to buy from third parties to complement its own output and satisfy demand, a significant rise from 1.25mn t of third-party oil products it sold a year earlier. The firm's upstream oil and gas production rose by 11pc on the year to 96,100 b/d of oil equivalent (boe/d) in the July-September quarter. It has raised its full-year forecast to about 92,000-94,000 boe/d from previous guidance of around 90,000 boe/d. Mol's profit fell to 111.5bn forint ($295mn) in the third quarter from Ft175.8bn a year earlier. By Béla Fincziczki Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2024. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.

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