Gulf Petrochemical Uses Mitsubishi CO2 Recovery Technology

Bahrain’s fertilizer and petrochemicals maker, Gulf Petrochemical Industries Co (GPIC) has reportedly using Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) license for carbon dioxide (CO2) recovery technology which application would be to recover CO2 from GPIC petrochemical plants.

The CO2 are emitted from the flue gas emitted which now can be use to capture material to increase urea and methanol production. As much as 450 tonnes per day capacity of CO2 (the world’s largest) is captured for the chemical application unit.

MHI is also looking at adapting the technology for production of dimethyl ether (DME) plus other chemical plants applications.

ExxonMobil’s Coal to Fuel Technology Applied in US

Coal to Fuel technology which widely utilized in the GTO (Gas to Olefins) technology uses coals to produce syngas that is used for production of methanol which can either be used for DME for gasoline blending or as feedstock for petrochemicals (olefins).

DKRW Advanced Fuels has reportedly being another US company which will use ExxonMobil’s methanol to gasoline technology for the gasoline blending, reducing the sulphur and benzene content of the fuel as well.

The project will be implemented in Medicine Bow, Wyoming with capacity of 15,000 barrels per day of gasoline expected to be commissioned in 2012. DKRW will only use ExxonMobil’s technology for Methanol to Gasoline but the syngas will be produced by DKRW for the methanol production.

Gas to Olefins and Fuel is catching popularity and earlier, DKRW has announced its coal to diesel plant utilizing Rantech technology.

GTO is popular in China due to cheap available coals in the country as well as China’s announcement earlier to not be dependent on external oil.

New Ethanol Technology Will Cut Energy Cost

New technology for Ethanol production energy reduction by reducing emissions and improving overall energy balance wwas presented by Interstate Power and Light Co. (IPL), a subsidiary of Alliant Energy Corporation, Harris Companies, a mechanical contracting firm; and AE&E - Von Roll, Inc., a technology provider of steam generating systems. Currently the licensor for the patent is managed by FCStone Carbon, LLC. The technology is claimed to enable producers to produce Ethanol at significant cost reduction which will place the owners at great competitive advantage.

Typical process of Ethanol production

The new patented technology utilizing Ethanol in the product stream for the steam generation cutting the fuel gas consumption by 50% which save energy and reduces plant emissions.

As ethanol production has more than doubled in the past eight years, energy balance is a key issue. This technology will help producers reduce energy consumption while increasing the efficiencies of ethanol production.

Energy costs for a typical 50-million-gallon-per-year ethanol plant represent approximately 20 percent of the plants total annual operating costs. For every gallon of ethanol produced, 29 cents is spent on natural gas and four cents is spent on electricity.

Analysts are expecting that Ethanol producers will eventually adapt the technology for the cost benefit impact and better environmental image for ethanol plants.

In a separate news: DuPont has announced that it is investing $300 million for biofuels development. DuPont, a US chemical major player is planning to invest US$300 million in biofuels development which includes bio-butanol expansion and cellulosic ethanol technological acceleration development. The investment plan is set to start in the next 12 to 18 months. 

Business Deals Archive for December 2007

Petrochemical Deals: Arkema Acquiring Repsol’s PMMA
Arkema is acquiring Repsol’s polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) business in Europe which will increase the company’s growth opportunity and boosting its position in Europe as major PMMA sheet supplier.

Spanish firm’s Repsol has eight polymethyl methacrylate production sites which capacity alone is 20% of PMMA global market production through its subsidiary Altuglas.

Petrochemical Deal: Lyondell & Basell $19.4 billion MergerLyondell and Basell completed a $19.4bn merger of what could potentially become a global leader in the

Understanding types of petrochemical plants

We always hear the word petrochemical plants, but what really is a petrochemical plant and what types are there in the world of chemical and process engineering?

Petrochemical Plant uses feedstock usually from natural gas or from petroleum liquids which can be converted to fertilizers such as urea from ammonia, olefins such as propylene, adhesives, detergents, solvents, rubber and elastormers, films and fibers, polymers and resins and others.

Main Types of Petrochemical Plants:

Ethylene Plants:

Shell Gasification Technology Licensed to Vinachem

Oil major, Shell has licensed its coal gasification to produce syngas to Vietnam National Chemical Group (Vinachem). The syngas produced for the coal gasification will be used for the Binh Fertilizer Petrochemical Plant to produce ammonia for urea production which utilizes 1300 tonnes/day of coal.

Coal gasification or sometimes known as partial oxidation, converts carbon-containing fuel sources which in this case, coal, into syngas at high temperatures. The Shell technology is a clean way of transforming coal into syngas for use in the manufacture of fertilizer, chemicals and power generation.

Petrochemical Projects Archive for December 2007

China’s Synthetic Butadiene Rubber Plants On-stream 2008
China is likely to increase butadiene imports in 2008 as 5 new synthetic butadiene rubber plants are coming on-stream in 2008. The capacity for the 5 new plants will add 320 ktpa tonnes per year of synthetic rubber in China.

Butadiene, a scarce feedstock in China has no new capacity expansion announcement yet. The five butadiene rubber plants will be:
1. 100,000 tonne/year SBR plant capacity at Lanzhou Petrochemical
2. 50,000 tonne/year SBR plant capacity in Guangdong province
3. 100,000 tonne/year styrene butadiene styrene (SBS) plant capacity in Guangdong province
4. 20,000 tonne/year styrene-ethylene-butylene-styrene (SEBS) plant capacity in Jiangsu province
5. 50,000 tonne/year polybutadiene rubber (BR) plant capacity in Jiangsu province

Petrochemical Complex: IOC for Plan for Phase II Mixed Feed CrackerIndian Oil Corporation (IOC) has planned for a mixed feed cracker and downstream derivatives petrochemical plants

Business Deals Archive November 2007

Tug of War for Petronas and Gazprom for Star Energy

PETRONAS, a Malaysian state oil company had earlier made a bid for U.K storage developer Star Energy takeover. Star Energy is a prominent United Kingdom gas storage company with prospects including 26 oil and gas fields and a plan for a construction of 4.25 bcm offshore gas facility in the UK.

Talks are mounting on a rival bid from Russia's Gazprom for the takeover which deal amount is almost US$700 million from PETRONAS. Star Energy concluded that the bid undervalues the company. Gazprom is interested in buying land in Dorset that Egdon Resources which in total is planning to turn into a large underground gas-storage facility, media reports say.

Other interested parties including Total, Statoil, Hydro and Eni showing huge stalking interest in the company. Gas is well-known as the basic feedstocks for petrochemical plants.

Iran Buying Petrochemical Plant in Philippines

Iran has announced its plan to purchase and run a heavy and light polyethylene factory in the Philippines, said

Petrochemical Projects Archive for November 2007

Mitsui India to Build Polypropylene Facility

Mitsui Prime Advanced Composites India, a wholly owned subsidiary of the Japanese company Mitsui Chemicals is planning to set up a manufacturing facility for polypropylene (PP) compounded resins at Neemrana, in Rajasthan which has an initial capacity of 15 ktpa of polypropylene compounded resins.

The petrochemical plant is expected to be operational from the first quarter of 2009. The polypropylene resins are mostly used in manufacturing bumpers, panels and pillars in automobiles.taking advantage of the state's accelerating economic growth trajectory.

Saudi Kayan Seeks $4 Billion for Jubail 

Saudi Kayan is actively seeking funding from Islamic loans ad loans from BN Amro Bank, BNP Paribas,

Chemical Information for Hexene-1

Applications

Like other LAO (Linear Alpha Olephins), Hexene-1 or 1-Hexene is used as co-monomer for polyolefins manufacturing. It is used as enhancer to strengthen the bonds in polyolefin chains for production of various grades of polyethyelene. The primary use of 1-hexene is as a comonomer in production of polyethene. High density polyethene (HDPE) and linear low density polyethene (LLDPE) use approximately 2-4% and 8-10% of comonomers. Another significant use of 1-hexene is the production of linear aldehyde via hydroformylation (oxo synthesis) for later production of the short-chain fatty acid heptanoic acid.

Chemical Information and Process Technology

What is Hexene-1? Hexene-1 is an alkene, a type of Linear Alpha Olefins (LAO) with chemical formula of C6H12. An alpha olefin is when the double bond is located at primary position or also called the alpha position which provides higher reactivity for chemical reactions which is a crucial chemical property.

Process Synthesis Industrially, 1-hexene is commonly manufactured by two main routes: oligomerization of ethene and by Fischer-Tropsch synthesis followed by purification. Another route to 1-hexene, used commercially on small scale, is dehydration of alcohols. Prior to the 1970's 1-hexene was also manufactured by the thermal cracking of waxes. Linear internal hexenes were manufactured by chlorination/dehydrochlorination of linear paraffins.

There are five commercial processes which oligomerize ethene to 1-hexene. Four of these processes produce 1-hexene as a part of a wide distribution of alpha-olefins. Typically, 1-hexene content ranges from about twenty percent distribution in the Ethyl (Innovene) process, whereas only twelve percent of distribution in the Gulf (CP Chemicals) and Idemitsu processes.

The only commercial process to isolate 1-hexene from a wide mixture of C6 hydrocarbons is practiced by Sasol Ltd., a South African oil and gas and petrochemical company. Sasol commercially employs Fischer-Tropsch synthesis to make fuels from synthesis gas derived from coal. The synthesis recovers 1-hexene from the afformentioned fuel streams, where the initial 1-hexene concentration cut may be 60% in a narrow distillation, with the remainder being vinylidenes, linear and branched internal olefins, linear and branched paraffins, alcohols, aldehydes, carboxylic acids and aromatic compounds.

Synthesis of 1-hexene as a part of multi-product ethene oligomerization process or a Fischer-Tropsch process is covered in an article on Linear alpha olefins. One process, the Phillips ethene trimerization process, produces only 1-hexene.

Licensing and Technology Licensors
One of the technology provider for Hexene-1 is ABB Lummus Global and China Petroleum & Chemical Corp. (SINOPEC Corp.) who both have signed a cooperation agreement creating a strategic alliance to develop and market new recovery technology for ethylene plants. The collaboration merges the extensive capabilities and experiences of both companies in the area of recovery technology. ABB Lummus Global and SINOPEC Corp. will license the technology worldwide, for both grassroots and revamp projects through ABB Lummus Global. ABB Lummus Global will contribute front-end and back-end selective hydrogenation utilizing CDHydro(r) hydrogenation technology, developed by its joint venture company CDTECH; tertiary refrigeration; its low pressure chilling train; and Olefins Conversion Technology (OCT) to self-metathesize butenes to produce hexene-1. SINOPEC Corp.'s contributions include condensing fractionation towers, high capacity trays, high flux tubes, and low temperature arsenic removal from liquid feeds.

PetroChina: Biggest Company in the World

PetroChina, China's biggest oil and gas firm in China, has successfully become the world's biggest firm in the world, and also the world's first company to be worth more than one trillion dollars.

PetroChina shares floated at 16.7 yuan (107p), and almost tripled to close at 43.96 yuan, giving the group a market capitalisation of around $1 trillion (£480 billion).

Petro China has toppled ExxonMobil which was the previous biggest company in the world with market capitalisation of US480 Billion. PetroChina is also now twice as big as combined Royal Dutch Shell and BP.

Market analysis is suggesting that PetroChina is benefiting from both the high soar of oil and petroleum products and also from the booming stock market in China.

As of late, more and more companies from China are being traded in the US stock exchange, and has given new evaluations of Chinese companies. Chinese companies are now the second biggest occupier of Wall Street after the US companies.

Chemical Information for Nitrobenzene

Applications

Primary applications of nitrobenzene are as follows:

• for production of aniline and aniline derivatives, such as methylene diphenyl diisocyanate (MDI),
• manufacturing of rubber chemicals, pesticides, dyes, and pharmaceuticals. 
• as blending material for production of shoe and floor polishes, leather dressings, paint solvents, and other materials to mask unpleasant odors. 
• due to its good odor, distilled nitrobenzene is also used as an inexpensive perfume for soaps. This usage is now banned due to its toxicity
• pharmaceutical ingredient for analgesic paracetamol 

Chemical Information and Process Technology

What is Nitrobenzene?

The most distinct property of nitrobenzene is its almond odor, bearing chemical formula of C6 H5 NO2. It may be found as either bright yellow crystals or an oily water-insoluble liquid. It is also commonly known as nitrobenzol, very poisonous as with other aromatic compounds.

The chemical compound melts at 5.85°C, with boiling point of 210.9°C. It is very soluble in ethanol, ether, and benzene with low solubility in water.

Process Synthesis

The systhesis of nitrobenzene is done by treating benzene with a mixture of nitric and sulfuric acids. The mixture undergoes a nitration reaction where one hydrogen molecule in the benzene molecule is replaced with a nitro group, NO ₂ . 

Chemical Information for Neo Pentyl Glycol (NPG)

Applications

Applications for Neo Pentyl Glycol (NPG) includes:

Coating Resins

• Neopentyl glycol is used to produce saturated resins that are formulated into oil-free, high- and low-solids, alkyd coatings.
• Superior balance between hardness and flexibility, more stable to heat and ultraviolet radiation
• Applications include metal furniture, appliance, automotive, coil and varnish coatings.

Powder Coatings

• Like alkyd coatings, powder coatings are characterized by superior hydrolysis resistance, good weatherability and good hardness/flexibility balance.
• Application include general metal, appliance, metal furniture, automotive and machinery coatings.

Gel Coating Resins

• Applications include marine accessories, general construction, bathroom and kitchen fixtures, corrosion resistant tanks, pipes, ducts and many others.

Fiberglass Reinforced Resins

• Used in fiber glass reinforced resins that offer high impact strength and flexibility, outstanding dielectric properties, high mechanical stability and malleability, good chemical resistance, good light transmission and low thermal conductivity.
• Applications the same areas as gel coats, along with recreational consumer goods and electrical components.

Plasticizers

• Used to manufacture polyester plasticizers that are used mainly to modify polyvinyl chloride (PVC) resin systems.
• When blended plasticizers, PVC resin systems exhibit superior low temperature properties while retaining low volatility with high resistance to migration and loss of flexibility.

Synthetic Lubricants

• Used to manufacture diester resins used in the production of synthetic lubricants.
• These lubricants exhibit superior thermal and oxidative stability, low solidification points, high viscosity indices and high flash points.

Chemical Information and Process Technology

What is NeoPentyl Glycol (NPG)?

Chemical Formula:

2,2-DIMETHYL-1,3-PROPANEDIOL)(CH₃)₂C(CH₂OH)₂

The quaternary structure of NEOL allows it to offer superior hydrolytic stability, weatherability and a good balance between hardness and flexibility. The two methyl groups, instead of the usual two hydrogen atoms, on the alpha carbon atom are responsible for the high chemical and thermal stability. NPG is a very important intermediate for the industrial use.

Synthesis of NeoPentylGlycol (NPG)

Isobutyraldehyde + Formaldehyde => Hydroxypivaldehyde

Hydrogenation of Hydroxypivaldehyde => Neopentyl Glycol

(via catalyst, mostly used: Ni-Cr, Cu-Zn, Cu-Al, Cu-Cr, Cr, Ba)

• New invention is to provide a process for with high catalytic and high selectivity
• US Patent 4933473: The new catalyst under extensive research is Pt-Ru-W

Mass Calculation for Production of NPG

To produce 1 tonne (1000kg) of NPG, using the above equation; raw materials needed are as shown below:

Raw materials	Amount
Isobutyraldehyde	692 kg
Formaldehyde	288.5 kg
Hydrogen	19.2 kg

The total equation for NPG is as follows:

Isobutyraldehyde + Formaldehyde + Hydrogen => Neopentyl Glycol

And the chemical formulas for each are:

C₄H₈O + H₂CO+ H₂ => C₅H₁₂O₂

The equation is already balanced and for each 1 mol of NPG, 1 mol of each raw material is needed.

Using the periodic table, the mass for each chemical can be obtained through back-calculation using their respective molecular weight. This is governed by the equation, mol = mass/molecular weight

The molecular mass for each is as follows:

• C₄H₈O = 48 + 8 + 16 = 72
• H₂CO = 2 + 12 + 16 = 30
• H₂ = 2
• C₅H₁₂O₂ = 60 + 12 + 32 = 104

Using this calculation, the production for 1 tonne of NPG can be obtained by deviding each chemicals by 104 and times each by 1000 kg

Chemical Information for Linear Alpha Olefins (LAO)

Applications

In short, Linear alpha olefins applications are in a wide variety of end uses including comonomers for polyethylene, synthetic lubricants, surfactant intermediates, base oil for synthetic drilling fluids & lubricant additives.

Production of Polyethylene (HDPE, LLDPE)

The lower carbon numbers, 1-butene, 1-hexene and 1-octene are overwhelmingly used as comonomers in production of polyethylene. High Density PolyEthylene (HDPE) and Linear Low Density PolyEthylene (LLDPE) use approximately 2-4% and 8-10% of comonomers, respectively. Production of Aldehyde Another significant use of C4-C8 linear alpha olefins is for production of linear aldehyde via oxo synthesis (hydroformylation) The predominant application of 1-decene is in making polyalphaolefin synthetic lubricant basestock (PAO) and to make, in a blend with higher linear alpha olefins, surfactants.

Production of LAB

C10-C14 linear alpha olefins are used in making surfactants for aqueous detergent formulations. These carbon numbers may be reacted with benzene to make linear alkyl benzene (LAB), Although some C14 alpha olefin is sold into aqueous detergent applications.

Production of Chloroparaffins

C14 has other applications such as being converted into chloroparaffins. A recent application of C14 is as on-land drilling fluid basestock, replacing diesel or kerosene in that application. Although C14 is more expensive than middle distillates, it has a significant advantage environmentally, being much more biodegradable and in handling the material, being much less irritating to skin and less toxic. C16 - C18 linear olefins find their primary application as the hydrophobes in oil-soluble surfactants and as lubricating fluids themselves.

Production of synthetic drilling fluids

C16 - C18 alpha or internal olefins are used as synthetic drilling fluid base for high value, primarily off-shore synthetic drilling fluids. The preferred materials for the synthetic drilling fluid application are linear internal olefins, which are primarily made by isomerizing linear alpha-olefins to an internal position. The higher internal olefins appear to form a more lubricious layer at the metal surface and are recognized as a better lubricants.

Production of paper sizing chemicals

Another significant application for C16 - C18 olefins is in paper sizing. Linear alpha olefins are, once again, isomerized into linear internal olefins are then reacted with maleic anhydride to make an alkyl succinic anhydride, a popular paper sizing chemical. C20 - C30 linear alpha olefins production capacity is only 5-10% of the total production of a linear alpha olefin plant. They are used in a number of reactive and non-reactive applications, including as feedstocks to make heavy linear alkyl benzene (LAB) and low molecular weight polymers which are used to enhance properties of waxes.

Chemical Information and Process Technology

What is Linear Alpha Olefins (LAO)?

Linear Alpha Olefins (LAO) or Normal Alpha Olefins (NAO) are olefins or alkenes with a chemical formula CxH2x, distinguished from other mono-olefins with a similar molecular formula by linearity of the hydrocarbon chain and the position of the double bond at the primary or alpha position. 1-hexene, a typical linear alpha-olefin 1-hexene, a typical linear alpha-olefin Linear alpha olefins are a range of industrially important alpha-olefins, including 1-butene, 1-hexene, 1-octene, 1-decene, 1-dodecene, 1-tetradecene, 1-hexadecene, 1-octadecene and higher blends of C20-C24, C24-C30, and C20-C30 ranges.

Industrially, linear alpha olefins are commonly manufactured by two main routes: oligomerization of ethylene and by Fischer-Tropsch synthesis followed by purification. Another route to linear alpha olefins which has been used commercially on small scale is dehydration of alcohols. Prior to about 1970's linear alpha olefins were also manufactured by thermal cracking of waxes, whereas linear internal olefins were also manufactured by chlorination/dehydrochlorination of linear paraffins.

Licensing and Technology Licensors

Available technology licensors for the production of Linear Alpha Olefins (LAO) are:

• Ethyl Corporation (Ineos) process.
• Gulf (Chevron Phillips Chemical Company), Shell Oil Company SHOP process.
• Idemitsu Petrochemical process.
• Phillips (CP Chemical Company) ethylene trimerization process, produces only 1-hexene.
• IFP, dimerizes ethylene to high purity 1-butene.
• UOP also offers a technology but so far, no commercial petrochemical plants have been using this technology
  

Petrochemical Plant Location and Capacities & Major Producers

Major producers for Linear Alpha Olefins (LAO) is Shell, Chevron and Amoco.

• Shell chemicals companies are the largest producers of alpha olefins in the world. Two manufacturing facilities at Geismar, Louisiana and Stanlow, UK are largely devoted to alpha olefin production. This spread of production facilities gives Shell chemicals companies a strong competitive position and helps them provide product to you when and where you need it.
  
• Their larger Geismar facility, with a capacity of 928 kt/year makes linear paraffins, iso-paraffins (mostly methyl-branched), internal olefins and linear alpha olefins for use in oilfield fluids. Stanlow, with a capacity of 330 kt/year, produces linear paraffins and linear alpha olefins for use in oilfield fluids. Alpha and internal olefins are produced via a proprietary process called the Shell Higher Olefins Process (SHOP). The process uses ethylene to produce highly linear, long-chain (C4 to C30) olefins.
  
• Within SHOP, some of the alpha olefins of varying chain lengths are rearranged and isomerised to produce internal olefins in the C11 to C18 range. Some of the internal olefins (C11 to C14) are fed to the Shell HydroFormylation (SHF) process to produce detergent alcohols, synthetic linear paraffins and iso-paraffins. The C15 to C18 range material is used for both detergent and oilfield fluids end uses.

Chemical Technology: Methanol to Olefins

What is Methanol to Olefins?

Methanol to Olefins is a technology which can convert methanol to olefins (ethylene, propylene, butylenes, isobutylenes, and heavier olefins). Methanol to Olefins (MTO) technology can be considered as new technology in petrochemical processing since propylene and ethylene are usually obtained through conventional processes such as steam cracking, FCC and other available options.

Chemical Information and Process Technology

The process is to produce selective production of ethylene and propylene from methanol. MTO process converts methanol to ethylene and propylene at nearly 80% carbon selectivity in a fluidized bed reactor. The MTO reaction is exothermic.

Carbon or coke accumulates on the catalyst and must be removed to maintain catalyst activity. The coke is removed by combustion with air in a catalyst regenerator system. Other co-products include very small amounts of C1-C4 paraffins, hydrogen, CO and CO2, as well as ppm levels of heavier oxygenates that are removed to ensure that the product olefins meet polymer-grade specifications.

The ratio of propylene/ethylene product can range from less than 0.8 to more than 1.3. When combined with the Total Petrochemicals/UOP Olefin Cracking process (to be discussed later) to convert the heavier olefins, the overall yields of ethylene plus propylene increase to between 85 to 90 % and propylene/ethylene product ratios of more than 1.5 are achievable. MTO is part of a two-step process, which converts natural gas or coal to methanol followed by the conversion of methanol to light olefins.

Market Information/ Economics

MTO projects are driven by the desire to monetize natural gas or coal and the market demands for ethylene and propylene and their derivatives. Stranded natural gas prices are generally independent of crude oil and naphtha market prices so MTO provides another means for olefin derivative producers to diversify the cost structure for their feedstocks. MTO can provide much lower costs of production and higher returns on investment than naphtha crackers especially when crude oil market prices are high. MTO can also provide much lower costs of production and higher returns on investment than ethane crackers using ethane or natural gas liquids extracted from natural gas at prices above $3 to 4 per million Btu (e.g. North America). MTO plants can be located near or integrated with a methanol plant or they can be located separately with a methanol plant located near the gas source and the MTO plant located near the olefin markets or olefin derivative plants. In either case the methanol plant is located with access to low cost natural gas or coal. If there is local demand for a portion of the light olefins or their derivatives, then it can be desirable to locate the MTO unit at the same location as the methanol unit. If all of the light olefins or their derivatives are to be exported, then it may be preferable to ship methanol to an MTO unit that is located near the olefin or olefin derivative markets.

Petrochemical Projects Archive for October 2007

RIL, Gail considering JV in petrochemical plants in Russia.

Reliance Industries (RIL) are considering the feasibility of putting up petrochemical plants in Russia together with state-owned Gail India.

US$ 5 Billion Petrochemical Plant by Chevron Philips and Saudi Industrial.

Chevron Philips with collaborating partner Saudi Industrial Group is planning to borrow US$ 1.8 Billion to finance a US$ 5 Billion petrochemical plant at Al-Jubail tentatively to produce ethylene, propylene and polyethylene.

Petrochemical Projects Archive for August 2007

August 20, 2007

Chemical Valley to develop environment-friendly fuels

Chemical Valley is considering a $10-million innovation centre to help Sarnia's petrochemical industry to develop an environment-friendly fuels. This includes financing for the bio-industrial centre at the Sarnia-Lambton Research Park of the University of Western Ontario.

Petrobras and Unipar to Form a Chemical Company
Cia. Petroquimica do Sudeste, the new name of the joint petrochemical company between Petroleo

Petrochemical Projects Archive for June 2007

June 30, 2007

BASF Started up New Alkylethanolamines (AEOA) Plant in Geismar, Louisiana One Month Ahead of Schedule

The new plant will produce over 20 specialty amines, on top of the existing amine production facilities at the Louisiana. The Geismar plant will increase BASF’s worldwide production capacity for AEOA (alkylethanolamines) by 40 percent which is backward integrated with its existing ethylene oxide production at the site. BASF also operates AEOA plants at its Verbund site in Ludwigshafen, Germany.

June 23, 2007

Hanwha in Talks with Saudi Arabia for US$6.5 Billion Delayed

Chemical Information for Propane

Applications

1. Propane can be used as fuel in cooking on many barbecues, portable stoves, and in motor vehicles.
2. Domestic and industrial fuel - Propane is the fastest growing fuel source in the Third World, especially in China and India replacing the traditional woods and coals. Propane is usually shipped as LPG, a blend of propane and butane. The warmer the country, the higher the butane content, commonly 50/50 and sometimes reaching 75% butane.
3. Refrigeration - Propane is also instrumental in providing off-the-grid refrigeration, also called gas absorption refrigerators. Made popular by the Servel company, propane-powered refrigerators are highly efficient, do not require electricity, and have no moving parts. Refrigerators built in the 1930s are still in regular use, with little or no maintenance. However, certain Servel refrigerators are subject to a recall for CO poisoning.
4. Vehicle fuel - The advantage of propane is its liquid state at room temperature and moderate pressure. This allows fast refill times, affordable fuel tank construction, and ranges comparable to (though still less than) gasoline. Meanwhile it is noticeably cleaner (both in handling, and in combustion), results in less engine wear (due to carbon deposits) without diluting engine oil (often extending oil-change intervals), and until recently was a relative bargain in North America.

Chemical Information and Process Technology

Propane is one of the feedstock for petrochemical industry, found mainly from the petroleum products either during refining or gas processing. Propane is not produced for its own sake, but as a byproduct of two other processes: natural gas processing and petroleum refining. The processing of natural gas involves removal of butane, propane, and large amounts of ethane from the raw gas, to prevent condensation of these volatiles in natural gas pipelines.

Additionally, oil refineries produce some propane as a by-product of production of cracking petroleum into gasoline or heating oil. The supply of propane cannot be easily adjusted to account for increased demand because of the by-product nature of propane production. About 85% of U.S. propane is domestically produced. The United States imports about 10-15% of the propane consumed each year. Propane is imported into the United States via pipeline and rail from Canada, and by tankers from Algeria, Saudi Arabia, Venezuela, Norway and the United Kingdom. After it is produced, North American propane is stored in huge salt caverns located in Fort Saskatchewan, Alberta, Canada, Mont Belvieu, Texas, and Conway, Kansas. These salt caverns were hollowed out in the 1940s and can store up to 80 million barrels of propane, if not more. When the propane is needed, most of it is shipped by pipelines to other areas of the Midwest, the North, and the South, for use by customers. Propane is also shipped by barge and rail car to selected U.S. areas.

Petrochemical industry relies heavily on gas as the feedstock. Propane together with butane are blended to produce LPG for the petrochemical industry. Some petrochemical crackers use LPG as the feedstock for further cracking into ethylene, propylene and C4 streams or known as butylenes.

Chemical Information for POM (PolyOxyMethylene)

Chemical Information and Process Technology

Mass Balance on POM (Polyoxymethylene)

3 Formaldehyde à Trioxane
Trioxane + 3 Ethylene Glycol à 3 Dioxolane + 3 Water
Polymerization of Trioxane + Dioxolane à 6 POM Copolymer

To produce 1 ton (1000kg) of POM, using the above equation; raw materials needed are as shown in Table below:

Raw Materials	Amount (kg)
Formaldehyde	2000
Ethylene Glycol	1000

Additional raw materials needed are boron trifluoride etherate and water.

Calculation

The total equation for POM is as follows
12 Formaldehyde + 3 Ethylene Glycol à 6 POM Copolymer

And the chemical formulas for each are:

12 H₂CO + 3 C₂H₆O₂ à 6 [OCH₂]
2 H₂CO + 0.5 C₂H₆O₂ à 1 [OCH₂]

The equation is already balanced and for each 1 mol of POM,

• 2 mols of Formaldehyde is needed
• 0.5 mols of Ethylene Glycol is needed

Using the periodic table, the mass for each chemical can be obtained through back-calculation using their respective molecular weight. This is governed by the equation, mol = mass/molecular weight. The molecular mass for each is as follows:

H₂CO = (2 + 12 + 16)* 2 = 60
C₂H₆O₂ = (24 + 6 + 32) * 0.5 = 31
OCH₂ = (16 + 12 + 2)* 1 = 30

Market Information (Major Producers)

Company	POM Tradename	Type of POM
DuPont	Delrin	Copolymer
Korean Engineering Plastics	Kepital	Homopolymer
Ticona Engineering Plastics	Celcon, Hostaform	Homopolymer
BASF	Ultraform	Homopolymer

DuPont, Ticona, and BASF make up 90% of the French POM market. Demand increased by 8% in the United States, with a growth rate of 5% in Europe. In Asia, POM is mainly used in the electronics sector (CDs, videocassettes). In contrast, in Europe, it is largely used in the automobile industry and the electrical appliance sector.

KEPEL maintains 65% of Korea’s domestic market share. KEP POM production capability is at over 65,000 MT/yr, which can cover about 10% of worldwide copolymer demand since its third expansion of manufacturing facilities. KEP is now recognized worldwide for its product quality as evidenced by a number of certifications.

DuPont Overview
After four years of development DuPont patented its POM in 1956 and began construction of a 20-million pound annual-capacity production plant at Parkersburg, West Virginia, completed in 1960. As manufacture commenced, total research and development costs for the project topped $50 million dollars. DuPont fully expected to recover these costs by marketing Delrin® as a general substitute for nonferrous metals, but a patent dispute and stiff competition held profitability down. As a result, DuPont focused subsequent research efforts on more sophisticated and specialized engineering polymers.

Despite its troubled beginnings, Delrin® thrived in the long run and has been steadily improved over the years.

Today, Delrin® is widely acclaimed as

• lightweight but durable low wear,
• low friction plastic for electronic office equipment, advanced conveyor technology, and automotive applications.

Ticona Overview
Celcon / Hostaform POM is the world market leader of polyoxymethylene copolymers. The POM range includes grades for all processing methods and many different applications in various industries.It is characterized by excellent toughness and dimensional stability, outstanding spring and slip properties and good heat deflection temperature ratings and chemical resistance.

It is characterized by:

• excellent toughness and dimensional stability
• outstanding spring and slip properties
• good heat deflection temperature ratings and chemical resistance.

Korea Engineering Plastics (KEP) Overview
KEP was the first Company producing Polyacetal resin in Korea. The first commercial production of its POM began in 1988 under the brand name "KEPITAL". Ever since, KEP has been one of the engines for the growth of the Korean engineering plastic industry. KEPITAL copolymer resins can be found in engineered structural components of cutting-edge products, such as, automotive, electrical, electronics and industrial machinery.

KEPITAL has its own distinctive features such as:

• excellent thermal stability at molding
• exhibits better flow enabling high speed production
• ensures low deposit on the mold surface during processing.

BASF Overview
A line of acetal polyoxymethylene (POM) copolymer products under the tradename Ultraform® are available from BASF. BASF's Ultraform® is known for its:

• Ultraform has high strength and creep resistance.
• High abrasion and fatigue resistance together with the low friction are of major importance for the maintenance-free performance of the machine.
• Dimensional stability not only in production but during full product life and resistance to moisture, chemicals and
• The ball bearings made of Ultraform need no lubricant and withstand operating temperatures between - 40° and + 80° C. They can operate at rotation speeds of more than 5000 rpm. Other typical applications are in copiers, printers, pool cleaners, rotating beacons and domestic appliances.
• Chemical resistance of Ultraform® acetal, particularly with respect to conventional grades of gasoline (even those containing methanol and ethanol) as well as to diesel fuels

LIST of Other Global POM Producers

Table below shows the list of companies that produce POM worldwide:

Company Name	POM Tradename
Quadrant Engineering Plastic Products	Acetron®
Polymer Technology & Services
RTP Company
API - Kolon	Kocetal®
Aclo	Accucomp
ALBIS PLASTICS
Asahi	Lynex-T
Ashley Polymers	Ashlene®
BASF	Ultraform
Centroplast	Centrodal
Chase Plastics	CP Pryme®
Chem Polymer	Formax
Custom Resins	Duratel™
DSM Engineering Plastics	Plaslube®
DuPont	Delrin®
Ensinger	Tecaform™
Global Polymers
Korea Engineering Plastics (KEP)	Kepital®
Lati	Latan
Lati	Latilub
LG Chemicals	Lucet®
LNP	Lubriloy®
Mitsubishi	Iupital®
MRC Polymers	Talnex
Noveon	Stat-Tech™
Omnia Plastica
Owens Corning
Oxford Polymers
Polymer Resources
Polymersan	Polipom®
PolyOne	Edgetek®
Techmer Lehvoss	Plaslube®
Ticona	Celcon®
Ticona	Hostaform
Westlake Plastics	Pomalux®
Westlake Plastics	Dielux®
Zakłady Azotowe	Tarnoform
Zell-Metall	Zellamid®

Other Plant Location and Capacities

Asahi-DuPont POM (Zhangjiagang) Co. Ltd. is a joint venture between DuPont China Holding Co. Ltd. and Asahi Kasei Corporation of Japan. The JV company is focused on acetal copolymer resins in China production. The facility was started in spring 2004 with an initial annual production capacity of 20,000 tons that will be stepped up progressively to 60,000 tons.

Chemical Information for Formaldehyde

Chemical Information and Process Technology

Mass Balance on Formaldehyde

2 Methanol + Oxygen à 2 Formaldehyde + 2 Water

To produce 1 tonne (1000kg) of Formaldehyde, using the above equation; raw materials needed are as shown in Table 1:

Table 1: Raw materials for production of Formaldehdye

Raw materials	Amount (kg)
Methanol	1067
Oxygen	533

Calculation

The total equation for Formaldehyde is as follows:

1 mol Methanol + 0.5 mol Oxygen à 1 mol Formaldehyde + 1 mol Water

And the chemical formulas for each are:

CH₃OH + 0.5 O₂ à H₂CO + H₂O

For each 1 mol of Formaldehyde,

 1 mol of Methanol is needed

 0.5 mols of Oxygen is needed

Using the periodic table, the mass for each chemical can be obtained through back-calculation using their respective molecular weight. This is governed by the equation, mol = mass/molecular weight

The molecular mass for each is as follows:

CH₃OH = (12 + 3 + 16 + 1)* 1 = 32

O₂ = (32) * 0.5 = 16

H₂CO = (16 + 12 + 2)* 1 = 30

H₂O = (2 + 16)* 1 = 18