Insights

Definition: “Ethylene” is one of the most important Olefin products. It is a colourless, flammable gas with a slightly sweet odor.  As shwon in the diagram below, it comes directly from the cracking in a steam cracker of different feedstocks: Gas such as ethane, propane, butane Liquid naphtha coming from oil refineries.  Comments: The chart below shows the […]

Honan Petrochemical Corp. has signed a MOU with Krakatau Steel for a land in Cilegon, Indonesia to build a new naphtha cracker and downstream units. The feasibility study of the project has started and would include: 1 million t/y Ethylene 550,000 t/y Propylene 600,000 t/y Polyethylene (PE) 600,000 t/y Polypropylene (PP) 700,000 t/y Monoethylene Glycol […]

 Bangkok: Thaioil Plc has confirmed to launch the design of a 100,000 t/y Linear Alkyl Benzene (LAB) facility in Si Racha, Chonburi  District, Thailand The estimated capital expenditure is around $300 million for a completion planned in 2016. For more information and data about oil and gas and petrochemical projects go to Project Smart Explorer

Definition: The “Aromatics” are so called because of their specific perfumed smell. The most well known “Aromatics” are the “Benzene”, the “Toluene”, the “Xylene”. For that reasons the “Aromatics” are also named as “BTX”. Comment: The “Aromatics” are produced from mainly from oil and a few from coal by distillation and then through a steam “cracker” in […]

Samsung Total Petrochemicals, the Joined Venture between Samsung General Chemicals and Total Petrochemicals, has selected the LyondellBasell Lupotech T process technology for their co-polymer project in Daesan, South Korea.  Key features of Lupotech T technology include low manufacturing and investment costs, fast start-up and grade changes, high on-stream factor and capacities of up to 450 KT per […]

Fluor Corp. (Fluor)announced to have signed a  Strategic Global Engineering, Procurement, Construction (EPC) and Construction Management Agreement with The Dow Chemical Company (Dow). This three-year agreement has a two-year extension option for up to five years and Dow’s global capital projects program across all Dow products. This contract includes all the potential new projects across […]

Definition: “Olefin” is the common name given by the “Petrochemical” industry  to the Alkene chemical products. The “Olefins” are classified in two families, the: “Monoolefins“, such as the “Ethylene” and “Propylene“ “Diolefins“, such as the “Butadiene” and the “Isoprene“ Comments: As we can see from the diagram above, the “Olefins” may be produced through a steam”Cracker” […]

Qatar Petroleum International, a QP’s subsidiary, has joined the partners for the Petrochemical complex, to be built in the Long Son Island in Vietnam. In the Joined Venture are also involved PetroVietnam, Vinachem, Siam Cement Group (SGC), Thai Plastic and Chemicals. This project will be located closed to the second refinery and will use a […]

According to an interview of Mr Fu Chengyu, who became chairman of Sinopec‘s parent in April, to Bloomberg, Sinopec is considering to sell its chemical assets in the next five years in order to finance its overseas development. Benchmarking the Majors like ExxonMobil or Shell, Sinopec wants to balance it Upstream activities and Downstream business. With profitability […]

Definition: “Petrochemical” comes from the Ancient Greek language where “Petro” means “rock”  in referring to these rocks, “Petro”, producing “oleum” meaning “oil” to become “petro-oleum”, the “oil of rocks”. Therefore the word “Petrochemical” has been originally given to the chemistry issued from the oil. Comments: From process perspective, the “Petrochemical” industry begins where the “Refining” or […]