This Week in ICIS Chemical Business

18 August 2008 00:15  [Source: ICIS news]

This week in ICIS Chemical Business we present our special issue on Plants and Projects. The engineering and construction sector is shifting its focus from mega petrochemical projects to specialties such as photovoltaics. What is the outlook and potential hurdles? Also, we bring you the results of Chemistry’s Greatest Contribution to Humanity contest cosponsored by Honeywell and our sister publication New Scientist.

This Week’s Top Stories: 18 August 2008

Engineering and construction companies are expanding to specialties and photovoltaics
Global engineering and construction companies report that the projects are changing, but the chemical sector continues to show a surprising amount of resilience

Profitability analysis reveals North American petrochemical industry's demise is exaggerated
Profits in the North American petrochemical industry are expected to decline sharply following Middle Eastern and Asian capacity additions. But contrary to the prevailing view, fears of its long-term demise will prove to be exaggerated.

Shell's Omega MEG process kicks off in South Korea
The big goal for a process engineer could be the development of a technology that converts all the raw materials to the desired end product with the minimum theoretical energy consumption, no emissions and the lowest capital cost.

Global petrochemical industry must adapt to survive
“When sorrows come, they come not single spies, but in battalions.” The English playwright Shakespeare could have been thinking of the petrochemical industry when he wrote this famous line in Hamlet.

Chemical project management in China requires careful planning
Protecting your intellectual property while employing or partnering with local firms is one of the many challenges facing chemical companies planning expansions in China.

Honeywell, New Scientist and ICIS reveal chemistry's greatest contribution to humanity
When placed in competition with the arrogance of physics and the beauty of biology, chemistry is all too often pushed into the background. But no more! New Scientist and ICIS Chemical Business readers have highlighted a plethora of ground-breaking advances in chemistry that have made profound changes to the way we live.

Demand for natural wax increases
Natural waxes gain as petroleum-based products wane from dwindling supply and high feedstock costs.

Odfjell expands distillation capacity in Rotterdam
A police escort and a seven-hour journey across 330km (205 miles) of Germany’s autobahns marked the start of Norwegian shipping and storage company Odfjell’s expansion project in Rotterdam, the Netherlands.

In Other News

Chemical profile
Acrylonitrile

By: Staff Reporter
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