Sonatrach (Algiers, Algeria; www.sonatrach.com) is nearing completion of a new paraxylene crystallization plant at its integrated refinery and petrochemical site in Skikda, Algeria, with startup scheduled during December of 2013. The plant’s core units will utilize CrystPX and GT-IsomPX process technology,…
Evonik Industries (Essen, Germany; www.evonik.com) and LanzaTech (Roselle, Ill.; www.lanzatech.com) have signed a three-year research cooperation agreement which will see Evonik combining its existing biotechnology platforms with LanzaTech’s synthetic biology and gas fermentation expertise for the development of a route…
BASF SE (Ludwigshafen, Germany; www.basf.com) has signed a contract to sell its Vinuran polyvinylchloride (PVC) modifier business to Kaneka Belgium N.V., a subsidiary of Kaneka Corp. (Osaka, Japan; www.kaneka.com). The transaction comprises intangible assets and inventory. It does not include…
Brenntag AG (Mülheim an der Ruhr, Germany; www.brenntag.com) has signed an agreement to acquire a part of the operational business of Kemira Water Denmark A/S registered in Copenhagen. Brenntag takes over the distribution of caustic soda, sulphuric and hydrochloric acids,…
Amyris, Inc. (Emeryville, Calif.; www.amyris.com) and Total (Paris; www.total.com) announced today the formation of Total Amyris BioSolutions B.V., a 50-50 joint venture that now holds exclusive rights and a license under Amyris's intellectual property to produce and market renewable diesel…
Clariant (Muttenz, Switzerland; www.clariant.com) today announced the second expansion of its ethoxylation site at Clear Lake in Pasadena, Texas. Following the first expansion in 2012, now already fully utilized, the investment will provide the necessary further capacity to continue profitable…
The U.S. Dept. of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Admin. (OSHA; Washington, D.C.; www.osha.gov) has announced a request for information (RFI) seeking public comment on potential revisions to its Process Safety Management standard and related standards, as well as other…
Black & Veatch (Overland Park, Kan.; www.bv.com) and Exterran Energy Solutions, L.P. (Exterran) are joining forces to reduce capital and operating costs, improve natural gas liquid product yields and enhance system flexibility for natural gas processors. The two companies have…
CB&I (The Woodlands, Tex.; www.cbi.com) has been awarded a contract valued at approximately $1 billion by Ingleside Ethylene LLC, a joint venture between Occidental Chemical Corp., a subsidiary of Occidental Petroleum Corp., and Mexichem, S.A.B. de C.V. (Mexichem) for the…
Foster Wheeler AG (Zug, Switzerland; www.fwc.com) says that a subsidiary of its Global Engineering and Construction Group has been awarded a contract for engineering, procurement and related services for a grassroots molybdenum refinery in Chile. The contract was awarded by…