AMERICAS Flint Hills Resources to acquire PetroLogistics Flint Hills Resources will be acquiring propylene producer PetroLogistics for USD 2.1 billion. PetroLogisticsis a major producer of propylene and operates the only propylene dehydrogenation facility currently operating in the United States. The propylene production facility has a capacity of about 725 KTA. Comments: As a…
AMERICAS CB&I to market Versalis’ LDPE and EVA technologies in North America Versalis and CB&I have signed an agreement through which CB&I will market and provide Engineering services for Versalis’ EVA and LDPE technology plants in North America. CB&I will offer both tubular and autoclave high-pressure processes. Comments: Versalis, a subsidiary of Italy-based…
AMERICAS CPChem to go ahead with alpha olefins expansion CPChem plans to begin a 100 KT expansion of its normal alpha-olefins plant at Cedar Bayou in Texas. CPChem has obtained the approval of its board and the required environmental permits. Comments: The expansion of the alpha-olefins plant further reflects CPChem’s strategy to take…
AMERICAS Formosa Plastics obtains EPA permits for new plants Formosa Plastics Corp. has obtained greenhouse gas prevention of significant deterioration (GHG-PSD) permits from EPA for the construction of 1,600 KTA ethane cracker, 660 KTA PDH unit and a 570 KTA LDPE plant at its site in Point Comfort, Texas. Formosa Plastics expects to…
AMERICAS Mexichem acquires HDPE pipe and conduit producer Mexichem will be acquiring Dura-Line for about USD 630 million. Dura-Line manufactures HDPE conduit, duct, and pressure-pipe products for telecom and data communications, energy, and infrastructure industries. Comments: Dura-Line is one of the largest plastic pipe manufacturers in the US. The company has a wide…
AMERICAS Sinopec licenses PP technology to US plant Sinopec will be licensing its gas-phase PP continuous pre-polymerization technology to Formosa Plastics in the USA. The technology has been licensed to four plants in China and this is the first license in the USA. Comments: Sinopec having licensed its PP technology to Formosa in…
AMERICAS Borealis to expand in South America Borealis is expanding its activity in its plant at Itatiba, Brazil. The expansion project includes the construction of two PP compounding extruders, besides the improvement of plant facilities. All the improvements along with the expanded PP compounding extruders are expected to be online by the fourth…
AMERICAS ExxonMobil Chemical divests its stake in Univation Technologies ExxonMobil Chemical has divested its stake in Univation Technologies, a PE licensing joint venture with Dow Chemical. Univation Technologies will become a wholly-owned subsidiary of Dow Chemical. The transaction is expected to close by the end of 2014 and is subject to regulatory approval.…
AMERICAS North Dakota to have new PE Facility Badlands NGL is developing a new polyethylene facility in North Dakota with an investment of about USD 4 billion. This facility will use North Dakota’s natural gas liquid-sourced ethane gas coming out of Williston Basin as a byproduct of oil production. Badlands is working with…
AMERICAS Borealis to consolidate plastics compounding operations in Brazil Borealis is planning to restructure its operations in Brazil, by transferring production from its plant at Triunfo to the recently upgraded facility at Itatibain in early 2015. Borealis invested about USD 57.3 million to expand the Itatiba facility with the construction of an additional…