Business & Economics
U.S. chemical industry production improves amid positive economic data
Production of chemicals in the U.S. rose in November, and most recent economic data is positive, according to the latest edition of the American Chemistry Council’s (ACC; Washington, D.C.; www.americanchemistry.com.) Weekly Chemistry and Economic Report. Strong gains were observed in…
Borealis upgrades at Porvoo PE plant
At yesterday’s meeting in Vienna, the Borealis (www.borealisgroup.com) supervisory board approved a €17-million investment to upgrade one of its polyethylene (PE) plants in Porvoo, Finland. The project includes a new ethylene compressor as well as an upgrade of the monomer…
Increased natural gas production, declining energy imports projected in EIA report
Natural gas production in the U.S. will be 25% greater from 2011 to 2035 than previous assessments, and the share of U.S. energy consumption accounted for by imported energy will decline to 18% of the total by 2035, according to…
North American gas-based chemical producers in strong position heading into 2011, report says
North American chemical producers who rely on natural gas feedstocks are in a strong industry position heading into 2011, says a report released today from Booz & Co., Inc. (New York; www.booz.com). The 2011 Chemicals Industry Perspective report discussed the…
Bechtel selected for first-of-its-kind nuclear project
Bechtel Corp. (San Francisco, Calif.; www.bechtel.com) will provide design and project management support services for the first commercial nuclear power plant in the Middle East. The plant will be one of four that a consortium headed by the Korean Electric…
Dow plans new PG plant in Thailand
The Dow Chemical Company (Midland, Mich.; www.dow.com) plans to build a propylene glycol (PG) plant in Map Ta Phut, Thailand, with a production capacity of up to 150,000 ton/yr. The new PG facility will utilize propylene oxide (PO) derived from…
Fieldbus Foundation releases HSE-RIO preliminary specification
The Fieldbus Foundation (Austin, Tex.; www.fieldbus.org) today announced that its Foundation High Speed Ethernet Remote I/O (HSE-RIO) preliminary specification is now available to its membership for review. Part of the foundation’s Wireless and Remote I/O initiative, this specification defines the…
Fluor and Sibur sign MoU
Fluor Corp. (Irving, Tex.; www.fluor.com) has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Sibur (Moscow; www.sibur.ru), Russia’s leading petrochemical company, for the establishment of a joint venture with the Scientific Research and Design Institute for Gas Processing (NIPIgaspererabotka) in Krasnodar,…
Foster Wheeler acquires sulfur-recovery technology
Foster Wheeler AG, (Zug, Switzerland,; www.fwc.com) announced today that its Global Engineering and Construction Group has acquired the CEntry Sulfur Recovery proprietary technology from FLSmidth & Co.. The acquisition includes patents, know-how and skilled personnel. The terms of the transaction…
Fluor named project management consultant for new refinery in Turkey
Fluor Corp. (Irving, Tex.; www.fluor.com) announced today that Socar & Turcas Rafineri A.S. (Stras; www.socarturcas.com.tr), the joint venture of the State Oil Co. of the Azerbaijan Republic (Socar) and Turcas Petrol A.S. (ISE:TRCAS), awarded the firm a project management consultant…