Business & Economics
Chementator: Methane-to-gasoline process nears commercialization
Synfuels International, Inc. (Dallas, Tex.; edlinks.chemengonline.com/7370-561) plans to commercialize its patented gas-to-liquids (GTL) process in Kuwait through a newly formed partnership with Kuwait’s Aref Energy Holding (edlinks.chemengonline.com/7370-562). In contrast with Fischer-Tropsch technology, the process produces a high-octane gasoline blend, rather…
Chementator: A commercial debut for a process to make mesoporous silica
Next month, Taiyo Kagaku Co. (Yokkaichi, Japan; edlinks.chemengonline.com/7370-563) will start up a 20-m.t./yr plant — said to be the world’s first — for the production of mesoporous silica. Taiyo Kagaku developed the new production process based on technology first introduced…
Chementator: Ceramic ethane-to-ethylene membrane could replace pyrolysis
Ateam of researchers at the U.S. Department of Energy’s Argonne National Laboratory (ANL, Argonne, Ill.; edlinks.chemengonline.com/7370-568) has developed a membrane capable of producing olefins from alkanes, and reducing wasted energy and pollutants while improving selectivity and yield. Steam cracking, or…
Chementator: Amine scrubbing
Alstom Power, Inc. (Windsor, Conn.; edlinks.chemengonline.com/7370-571) and The Dow Chemical Co. (Midland, Mich.; edlinks.chemengonline.com/7370-572) have established a joint development and commercialization agreement for advanced amine scrubbing technology for the removal of carbon dioxide from low-pressure fluegases of fossil-fuel-fired power plants…
Chementator: Purifying glycerol
Rohm and Haas Co. (Philadelphia, Pa.; edlinks.chemengonline.com/7370-578)and Novasep (Nancy, France; edlinks.chemengonline.com/7370-579) are forming an exclusive alliance to market and sell new technology for purfying crude glycerol byproduct from biodiesel processing. The new technology is based on Rohm and Hass’ Ambersep…
Chementator: Sonocracking
SulphCo, Inc. (Houston, Tex.; edlinks.chemengonline.com/7370-580) has signed an agreement with Pt. Isis Megah (Isis; an Indonesian oil-and-gas services company), which grants Isis an exclusive distributorship in India, Malaysia, Singapore and Indonesia. SulphCo’s first customer order, procured through Isis, for Sonocracking…
Mustang to provide design for new chemical complex in Singapore
Mustang Engineering (Mustang), a subsidiary of international energy services company John Wood Group PLC , has been authorized by ExxonMobil Asia Pacific Pte Ltd (ExxonMobil) to proceed with the detailed engineering design and site construction management for the process control…
PSE Korea officially open
PSE Korea, the Korean subsidiary of Process Systems Enterprise (PSE; London, U.K.; www.psenterprise.com), providers of the leading gPROMS advanced-process modeling (APM) software and related services, was officially declared open on 5 March 2008 at the PSE Korea Opening Ceremony in…
Invensys signs Egyptian JV
Invensys Process Systems (London; www.invensys.com) have joined ENPPI and GASCO in a joint venture (JV) to create Invensys Process System Egypt the first, “Industrial Automation Engineering Center of Excellence” in the country. This new company will play a significant role…
Metso Automation and ABB intensify cooperation
ABB in Norway (www.abb.com) and Metso Automation (Helsinki; www.metsoautomation.com) have reached a mutual agreement regarding joint activities and have signed a memorandum of understanding for future collaboration in the oil and gas industry. The integration of Metso Automation’s flow-control technology…