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,