Insights

Definition VFA stands for Vinylformamide or n-Vinylformamide. Vinylformamide may also be named n-ethenyl-formamide or SR-497  Comments After polymerization and subsequent hydrolysis N-Vinylformamide (VFA) introduces a primary amine into a polymer, which can be used for cationically charged polymers or crosslinking with e.g. epoxides. Vinylformamide (VFA) is an important feedstock for water soluble, cationic polymers. These materials […]

BASF to build butadiene extraction plant in Antwerp The butadiene is a monomer and used as an important chemical intermediate to produce elastomers and thermo­plastics, such as synthetic rubbers, latex, acrylonitrile butadiene styrene copolymer and polyamide. The tire industry is the main consumers of butadiene. Other applications for butadiene include paper chemicals and plastics production. BASF is […]

Shell to become the biggest investor in Qatar Through giant projects like Qatargas LNG 4  and Pearl GTL, Shell has become a key player in Qatar. These projects requested more than $ 26 billion capital expenditure on the top of which Shell is planning additional $ 6 billion for a greenfield Ras Laffan olefin complex in joint […]

Definition QIA is the acronym of Qatar Investment Authority Comments Headquartered in Doha, Qatar, the Qatar Investment Authority represents the Qatar Sovereign Wealth Fund. The QIA was founded by the State of Qatar in 2005 to strengthen the country’s economy by diversifying into new asset classes. The QIA is structured to operate at the very highest […]

PetroRabigh II and Sadara to double Saudi Aramco petrochemical production The PetroRabigh expansion, or PetroRabigh II, is a joint venture between Saudi Aramco and the Japanese Sumitomo Chemical while the greenfield project Sadara actually under construction is a joint venture with Dow Chemicals. But the both projects are designed to almost double Aramco’s chemicals manufacturing […]

QP and Shell completed feasibility study on $6 billion Ras Laffan petrochemical complex Qatar Petroleum (QP) and Shell have completed the feasibility study of the World-scale petrochemicals Complex in in Ras Laffan Industrial City, Qatar Estimated to cost $6 billion capital expenditure this petrochemical complex will be designed around a world-scale steam mixed cracker (ethane or methane) Shell and QP are targeting to benefit from […]

Definition Halobutyl is a variety of synthetic rubber or elastomer and refers to halogenated butyl. The halobutyl rubber is the copolymer of isobutylene (98%) and a small amount of isoprene (2%). The abbreviation IIR is commonly used to describe butyl or halobutyl rubber as it stands for Isobutylene Isoprene rubber. The halobuty rubber is odorless and tasteless, though it may […]

ExxonMobil and Sabic to build a world scale synthetic rubber greenfield plant in Middle-East Al-Jubail Petrochemical Company (Kemya) is a 50/50 joint venture between Saudi Basic Industries Corporation (SABIC) and Exxon Chemical Arabia Inc., an affiliate of ExxonMobil Chemical Company. The two companies have collaborated closely since the joint venture was established in 1980, producing […]

Philadelphia Refinery to rely on Marcellus shale gas Last year Sunoco Inc (Sunoco) had  announced to close the Philadelphia refinery in Pennsylvania, USA, on summer 2012 if no buyer could be found in the meantime. But the development of the shale gas in USA much faster than expected and in very competitive conditions offers a […]

Definition Mild Hydrocracking or MHC is referring to the refining process designed to performs a partial hydrocracking only. In the mild hydrocracking only about 20-60% at ~ 50-85 bar of the feedstock crude oil is cracked. Comments The objective of the Mild Hydrocracking process is to convert 20-60% of the vacuum gas oil at 343°C  to […]