Synthetic rubbers

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There are endless potential uses for synthetic rubbers which can be found in everything from vehicle tyres to footwear. Spikes in demand occur frequently due to the breadth of downstream sectors in play, as well as the changeable market dynamics of each. Synthetic rubbers market players therefore need fast and easy access to accurate, relevant and timely information. This way, the right decisions can be made quickly.

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AFPM ’24: Lubricant additives may recover in 2024 after severe destocking – LANXESS exec

SAN ANTONIO (ICIS)–Lubricant additives demand may recover this year following major destocking in 2023, said the head of LANXESS’ business. “What we hear from our customer end-use segments is that in most cases, destocking is over and inventories are at reasonably low levels. The general theme that’s playing out is that customers are manufacturing to the extent of what is potential real demand, and not restocking,” said Neelanjan Banerjee, senior vice president of Lubricant Additives at LANXESS. ICIS interviewed Banerjee on the sidelines of the International Petrochemical Conference (IPC), hosted by the American Fuel & Petrochemical Manufacturers (AFPM). “We saw that play out very strongly in Q1 in many areas, such as automotive engine oils, where there was the biggest collapse last year. So that’s been a decent comeback,” he added. However, given the volatility from geopolitical tensions, high inflation and high interest rates impacting consumer behavior, how that is going to play out in the coming quarters has to be very closely watched, he pointed out. One area of growth is in calcium sulfonate greases which are increasingly replacing lithium greases because of lithium’s extreme price volatility over the past two years tied to electric vehicles (EVs). LANXESS’ calcium sulfonate greases are used in passenger vehicle, heavy duty vehicle and marine applications. SURGE IN INDUSTRIAL LUBRICANTSThe company is also seeing higher demand for sustainable industrial oil additives that also offer high performance, he said. “This is driving innovation in the industry by suppliers who have the ability to conduct R&D and offer the molecules that meet the highest safety standards – favorable HSC profile, low VOC emissions and low carbon footprint,” said Banerjee. “We also expect there to be consolidation in the industry for players that cannot meet these requirements,” he added. In the US, increased investment from the US Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), the CHIPS Act and the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL) has spurred increased demand for industrial lubricants, said the executive. This includes additives and packages for metal-working fluids, hydraulic fluids, gear oils, compressor oils, greases, as well as increasing demand for formulated calcium sulfonate complex greases. “As a result, we are increasing our resources dedicated to providing solutions to industrial customers and applications in the Americas,” including sales, technology and potentially laboratory support in the US, said Banerjee. EV TRANSITION IMPACTThe EV transition is expected to happen but more slowly than initially anticipated in the US, with 16.3% of total US light vehicle sales being EVs in 2023 – up from 12.9% in 2022, he noted. However, EVs comprised just 1.2% of the US car parc (number of vehicles on the road) in 2022, he added. In the internal combustion engine (ICE) market, lubricant sales are primarily driven by the replenishment and maintenance market, and this continues to dominate, the executive pointed out. EV fluids will more likely be filled one time for the life of the vehicle and primarily sold to OEMs, and it will be years before the impact of EV fluid volumes becomes significant, Banerjee said. The industry is working to understand and develop specifications for a variety of fluids required by EVs such as driveline fluids, hybrid engine oils, specialty greases and immersion cooling fluids, and LANXESS has active solution development under way for all these EV fluids. Regulations and legislation could drive EV adoption higher, but the trajectory is highly uncertain as automakers and consumers may not be ready, he said. “I still feel ICE technology will be there for years to come… Regulations are a topic that has to play out with governments worldwide,” said Banerjee. Challenges for the EV transition include price volatility in battery materials, retraining of the automotive workforce, and overall high prices for EVs, he noted. “People were very excited about the possibilities, but the harsh reality today is that even with all the new regulations in play, the cars are getting heavier and more expensive,” said Banerjee. “The world has to get that right – it’s not that easy,” he added. COOLING FOR DATA CENTERSAn emerging growth end market is data centers which enable cloud, AI, autonomous driving and cryptocurrency mining capabilities. “The lubricants industry has been busy positioning their basestocks as suitable immersion cooling fluids for both EVs and data centers,” said Banrjee, who noted that LANXESS has developed two families of cooling fluids based on synthetic basestocks and formulated with antioxidants, yellow metal inhibitors and antifoams. “We believe a sizeable market will develop for these cooling fluids in the next few years,” he added. Unlike in EVs, direct immersion cooling of data centers is being applied today. LANXESS is developing both single-phase and two-phase immersion cooling solutions. “Once you dunk a computer into a liquid, materials compatibility is a design requirement, and one key trend is also to move away from fluorinated hydrocarbon coolants due to PFAS health effects,” said Banerjee. Interview article by Joseph Chang Front page picture source: LANXESS   Hosted by the American Fuel & Petrochemical Manufacturers (AFPM), the IPC took place on 24-26 March in San Antonio, Texas.

27-Mar-2024

PODCAST: A tale of two olefins – diverging trends in Asia's olefins markets

SINGAPORE (ICIS)–Asia's ethylene (C2) market will see northeast Asia supply in Q2  remain ample on the back of relatively high run rates at northeast Asian crackers. Similarly, propane dehydrogenation (PDH) units in the region are also expected to sustain current run rates for Q2. In this podcast, ICIS market editors Josh Quah  and Julia Tan discuss Asia's olefins flows, with a forward view on the Q2 market. NE Asia C2 supply ample, SE Asia C2 supply tight NE Asia and SE Asia C3 supply ample Deep-sea movements as arbitrage windows open

27-Mar-2024

Saudi Aramco eyes further chemical investments in China with local partners

SINGAPORE (ICIS)–China has a "vitally important" place in Saudi Aramco's global investment strategy, with the energy giant actively developing additional investment opportunities with its Chinese partners in the chemicals sector, Aramco president and CEO Amin Nasser said. The global oil major’s strategic goals in chemicals are “well-aligned” with China’s, he said in a keynote speech at the China Development Forum in Beijing on 25 March, noting that the country “is already a powerhouse representing 40% of global [chemical] sales”. Aramco, through its chemicals arm SABIC, is planning to increase its liquids-to-chemicals throughput to 4m barrels per day by 2030, Nasser said. Saudi Aramco accelerated its push into China’s refining and petrochemical sector last year with strategic investments that are aligned with Saudi Arabia's Vision 2030 diversification goals. This includes the 10% stake acquisition in Rongsheng Petrochemical Co for $3.4bn last year. Saudi Aramco, together with Chinese partners Norinco Group and Panjin Xincheng Industrial Group (PXIG), is also building a 300,000 bbl/day refining and ethylene-based steam cracking complex in Panjin City, in northeast China's Liaoning province at a cost of around $12bn. The Liaoning project is expected to come online in 2026. “We are also pleased that SABIC’s partnership in Fujian is on-track to commence construction of a major chemicals facility at an estimated cost of $6.4 billion,” Nasser said. The Fujian complex will include a mixed-feed steam cracker with up to 1.8m tonne/year ethylene (C2) capacity and various downstream units producing ethylene glycols (EG), polyethylene (PE), polypropylene (PP) and polycarbonate (PC), among other products. SABIC’s other major investments in China include three compounding plants in Shanghai, Guangzhou and Chongqing; a joint venture with Sinopec in Tianjin; a technology centre in Shanghai and a customer centre office in Guangzhou. SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT Demand for lower greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) materials – especially advanced composites and non-metallics in general – is growing rapidly, Nasser noted. Aramco’s research efforts in developing GHG materials are consistent with Chinese President Xi Jinping’s stance that sustainable development is the “golden key” for future success, he said. “We agree with China’s pragmatic and prudent approach to energy transition…I believe there are wide-ranging opportunities to jointly develop advanced GHG emission reduction technologies.” China has distinct strengths in renewables and critical materials, while Aramco and Saudi Arabia have a clear interest in solar, wind, hydrogen, and electro fuels, Nasser said. “These areas have great long-term potential, and combining our strengths could match our ambitions,” he added. Focus article by Nurluqman Suratman

26-Mar-2024

Dow, ExxonMobil among chems picked in US $6 billion CO2 cutting program

HOUSTON (ICIS)–A $6 billion industrial decarbonization program by the US will fund many chemical projects being developed by Dow, ExxonMobil and other companies, featuring projects as diverse as using carbon dioxide (CO2) as a feedstock, recycling plastic and burning hydrogen as a fuel, the Department of Energy (DOE) said on Monday. The following describes the seven chemical projects chosen by the US. ExxonMobil is developing the Baytown Olefins Plant Carbon Reduction Project in Texas. The project will use new burner technologies to combust hydrogen instead of natural gas for ethylene production. The project should cut more 2.5 million tonnes/year of carbon emissions, or more than 50% of the cracker's total emissions. The project will receive up to $331.9 million from the government. A subsidiary of Orsted plans to build a 300,000 tonne/year e-methanol plant on the Gulf Coast in Texas. The subsidiary, Orsted P2X US Holding, expects the e-methanol will be used as fuel for marine shipping and transportation. E-methanol is made with CO2 with green hydrogen. Orsted is already developing such a project in Sweden. The Texas project will receive up to $100 million from the government. BASF plans to develop a project in Freeport, Texas, that will convert liquid byproducts into synthesis gas (syngas) using plasma gasification and renewable power. Syngas is a mixture of hydrogen and carbon monoxide (CO). BASF will use the syngas as feedstock for its operations in Freeport. The project will receive up to $75 million from the government. LanzaTech and T.EN Stone & Webster Process Technology plan to develop a project on the US Gulf Coast that will capture CO2 emissions from crackers. It will then use green hydrogen and a biotech-based process to convert the captured CO2 into ethanol and ethylene. LanzaTech has developed strains of bacteria that ferment CO2 using hydrogen as an energy source. The name of the project is Sustainable Ethylene from CO2 Utilization with Renewable Energy (SECURE), and it will receive up to $200 million from the government. Ashland's subsidiary, ISP Chemicals, plans to replace natural gas boilers with electric heat delivered by a thermal battery at its plant in Calvert City, Kentucky. Other partners in the project include the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) and Electrified Thermal Solutions (ETS), which is supplying its Joule Hive system. The project will receive up to $35.2 million from the government. Dow's project will be developed on the US Gulf Coast and it will capture up to 100,000 tonnes/year of CO2 from ethylene oxide (EO) production. The project will then use the CO2 to produce chemicals used in electrolyte solutions to make domestic lithium-ion batteries. The project will receive up to $95 million from the government. Eastman is building a chemical recycling plant in Longview, Texas, that will use its methanolysis technology to break down waste polyethylene terephthalate (PET) into dimethyl terephthalate (DMT) and monoethylene glycol (MEG). The plant plans to use thermal energy storage combined with on-site solar power to reduce the carbon intensity of its process heating operations. It will receive up to $375 million from the government. DETAILS ABOUT THE US PROGRAMThe US expects the program will cut more than 14 million tonnes/year of emissions of CO2 from 33 projects. On average, each of the projects will cut carbon emissions by 77%. Out of the $6 billion, $489 million will come from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, and $5.47 billion will come from the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA). The fund will target the following: Seven chemical and refining projects. Six cement and concrete projects. Six iron and steel projects. Five aluminium and metals projects. Three food and beverage projects. Three glass projects. Two process heat-focused projects. One pulp and paper project.

25-Mar-2024

INSIGHT: Controversial EU Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation approaches adoption

LONDON (ICIS)–Details of the provisional agreement on the Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR) have been published, containing a number of wide-ranging elements which will reshape the packaging sector across the next two decades. The regulation is now reaching its final stages but has faced a fraught journey through the various legislative chambers of the EU and has remained divisive among both legislators and the markets. Under the provisional agreement the regulation will introduce: Mandated packaging recyclability Minimum recycled content and reuse targets across packaging – albeit with potential derogations based on availability of recycled material Mandatory deposit return schemes (DRS) and separate packaging collection targets New reporting and labelling obligations The extension of extended producer responsibility (EPR) schemes A restriction on the placing on the market of food contact packaging containing per- and polyfluorinated alkyl substances (PFAS) above certain thresholds A restriction on plastic collation films except for transportation purposes The possibility of bio-based plastic contributing to recycling targets The allowance of imports to count towards recycling targets provided they are of similar quality as domestic material and have been separately collected The Committee of the Permanent representatives of the Governments of the Member States to the European Union (Coreper) endorsed the Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation on 15 March following amendments to the provisional agreement reached by the EU Parliament and EU Council (but not endorsed by the EU Commission) during the trilogue negotiations. The European Parliament Committee on Environment, Public Health and Food Safety (ENVI) endorsed the provisional agreement on 19 March. NEW RE-USE TARGETSBy 1 January 2030, 40% of most transport packaging used within the EU – including e-commerce – will need to be reusable and ‘within a system of reuse’. This includes pallets, foldable-plastic boxes, boxes, trays, plastic crates, intermediate bulk containers, pails, drums and canisters of all sizes and materials, including flexible formats or pallet wrappings or straps for stabilisation and protection of products put on pallets during transport. From 2040 this will increase to 70%.  Some players said that this amounted to a defacto ban on flexible plastic transport packaging because of the difficulty in reaching the reuse target. By 2030, 10% of grouped packaging boxes for stock keeping or distribution will need to be re-usable. Controversially, cardboard boxes will be exempt from these reuse targets, which could see an increased shift to the material. Dangerous goods transport packaging, large scale equipment transport packaging, and flexibles in direct contact with food and feed as defined in Regulation (EC) No 178/2002, and food ingredients as defined in Regulation (EU) No 1169/2011 will also be exempted. By 2030, distributors of alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverage sales packaging will need to meet a 10% reuse target, which will increase to 40% by 2040. Some classes of alcoholic beverage, including highly perishable alcoholic beverages will be exempted. RECYCLABILITY AND REUSEBy 2030 all packaging must be recyclable or reusable. To be classed as recyclable, packaging must be: Designed for recycling Separately collected Sorted in to defined waste streams without affecting the recyclability of other waste streams Possible to be recycled so that the resulting secondary raw materials are of sufficient quality to substitute the primary raw materials Packaging recyclability performance grades are to be established by packaging category and classified as grades A, B or C. After 1 January 2030 any packaging that falls below grade C will be restricted from sale in the market. After 1 January 2038 packaging classified below grade B will be banned from sale in the market. Under the legislation, along with design for recycling assessments from 2035 an additional assessment will be added based on the weight of material effectively recycled from each packaging category – with the packaging categories under the design for recycling assessment established in Article 6 paragraph 6 of the provisional agreement. The EU Commission will be given power to adopt delegated acts to establish the detailed criteria for the design for recycling criteria under the packaging categories, with criteria to be set-out by 1 January 2028. Also from 2035, a requirement that material be ‘recycled at scale’ will be added to the recyclability assessment, with the EU Commission able to amend the thresholds. The definition of packaging waste recycled at scale requires separate collection sorting and recycling of material across the EU as a whole (including of waste exports) in installed infrastructure for each of the packaging categories of at least 55% for all materials except for wood which requires at least 30%. Assessments of recyclability will include the impact on recycling systems of the inclusion of things such as barriers, inks and labels. By the end of 2026 the EU Commission will be required to prepare a report on ‘substances of concern’ that might negatively affect recycling or reusability, with additional restrictions added for those substances under recyclability assessments. Member states will be able to request the EU Commission consider restricting substances they consider detrimental to recycling. Within 7 years from the date of application of the regulation, the Commission will be required to evaluate whether the design for recycling requirements have contributed to minimising substances of concern. A five-year exemption on meeting recyclability targets will be given for innovative packaging, along with an exemption for medical goods and medical goods packaging, dangerous goods and packaging for food-contact material specifically made for infants. Sales packaging made from lightweight wood, cork, textile, rubber, ceramic or porcelain is also expected to be exempted from most of the recyclability requirements. MINIMUM RECYCLING TARGETS FOR THE PACKAGING CHAINUnder the provisional agreement, from 1 January 2030, or three years after the introduction of the related implementing act (whichever is later) all plastic packaging placed on the market in the EU must include a minimum percentage of recycled content from post-consumer waste – by weight – of: 30% for contact sensitive packaging (this is generally packaging that comes into contact with food or medical supplies), excluding single-use bottles made from polyethylene terephthalate (PET) as the major component 10% for contact sensitive packaging made from plastic materials other than PET, except single use plastic beverage bottles 30% for single use plastic beverage bottle 35% for all other packaging By 2040, this will increase to: 50% for contact sensitive plastic packaging made primarily from PET, except for single use plastic beverage bottles 25% for non-PET contact sensitive plastics, with the exception of single use beverage bottles 65% for single use beverage bottles and all other plastic packaging The recycled content targets will allow the use of material from ‘third countries’ – those outside of the EU – the allowance of which has been one of the most contentious and heavily lobbied parts of the bill on either side of the argument. Material from outside of the EU will need to have been separately collected, and have equivalent specification to the requirements listed in the PPWR, the Waste Framework Directive (2008/98/EC), and the Directive on the reduction of the impact of certain plastic products on the environment ((EU) 2019/904). Medical packaging, transportation of dangerous goods, compostable plastic packaging and food packaging for infants and young children will be exempt from the recycled targets. The Commission is obliged to adopt implementing acts establishing a methodology for the calculation and verification of these recycled percentages by 31 December 2026. The Commission will be able to amend the targets based on "excessive prices of specific recycled plastics" and on the grounds that the amount of recycled content would pose a threat to human health or result in non-compliance with Regulation (EC) 1935/2004 – or to any plastic part representing less than 5% of the total weight of the whole packaging, which would typically include things such as functional barriers. By 1 January 2028 the Commission will be required to assess the need for further exemptions from recycled content targets for specific plastic packaging based on a lack of suitable recycling technologies. It will have the power to introduce implementing acts to amend the recycled content targets based on those assessments. Member states will also be able to exempt economic operators from the recycled content targets for 5 years as long as: that Member State has reached 5 percentage points above the 2025 recycled targets for recycling of packaging waste per material It is expected to reach 5 percentage points above the 2030 target (as assessed by the EU Commission) It is on track to meet waste prevention targets under the PPWR It has reached a 3% waste prevention by 2028 compared with a 2018 baseline The economic operators have adopted a corporate waste prevention and recycling plan that contributes to achieving the waste prevention and recycling objective The five year exemption can be renewed by Member States provided the conditions remain filled. This would appear to lead to the prospect of uneven trading conditions across the EU. The targets will be calculated by year and manufacturing plant. The 2030 targets under the PPWR will replace the targets set out in the Single Use Plastics Directive (SUPD) from 2030, but the pre-2030 targets in the SUPD will remain. EPR schemes will be extended under the legislation and must be set-up to ensure that fees to producers (or those with producer responsibility in the case of imports) are sufficient to cover the ‘full waste management’ cost of packaging waste, but actual fees are not stipulated in the legislation. The provisional agreement states that players contributing to EPR schemes should be given priority access at market prices to recycled material corresponding to the amount of packaging placed in a Member State by each individual economic operator. SINGLE-USE PLASTICS, PACKAGING WASTE TO LANDFILL, AND PFAS BANSThere will be further bans on single-use plastics introduced by the PPWR, which remain broadly inline with those proposed in the EU Council’s bargaining position. Significantly, for the recycled low density polyethylene (R-LDPE) flexible market this includes a ban on plastic film wrap grouping bottles, cans, tins, pots, tubs, or packets together in multi-packs at point of sale, but will not include wrap used for business-to-business distribution. This could also impact on pyrolysis-based chemical recyclers because post-consumer flexibles have been identified by the sector as a potential key feedstock source. The agreement also includes a ban on food-contact packaging containing PFAS above certain thresholds. There will also be a restriction on sending packaging waste that can be recycled to landfill or incineration, which could result in a higher sorting requirements and costs for waste managers. BIO-BASED MATERIALBy three years from the entrance in to force of the PPWR the EU Commission will be obliged to review the state of technological development and environmental performance of bio-based plastic packaging. Following this, the Commission will be required to bring forth legislative proposals for targets to increase the use of bio-based plastics in packaging, this will include the possibility of bio-based material contributing to recycling targets for food-contact material where recycled material is not available. This is likely to impact most heavily on the polyolefins and polystyrene sectors. CHEMICAL RECYCLINGThe original commission draft appeared to clarify and support the use of chemical recycling as counting towards the targets as long as its end use is not for fuel or backfill. In a blow for chemical recyclers, however, the wording around definition of recycling has been removed, and now refers back to Directive 2008/98/EC which forms the basis of the majority of EU recycling legislation definitions. Directive 2008/98/EC defined recycling as “any recovery operation by which waste materials are reprocessed into products, materials or substances whether for the original or other purposes. It includes the reprocessing of organic material but does not include energy recovery and the reprocessing into materials that are to be used as fuels or for backfilling operations." This has left the legal status of chemical recycling uncertain, particularly for pyrolysis – the dominant form of chemical recycling in Europe – where mixed plastic waste is commonly converted to pyrolysis oil – a naphtha substitute – before being reprocessed into recycled plastics. MEMBER STATE TARGETS AND DEPOSIT RETURN SCHEMES (DRSs)Member state targets and obligations to implement DRSs remain broadly the same as in the EU Council’s bargaining position paper. The exception is that the figure on the collection figure for member states to exempt themselves from a DRS scheme has been increased to 80% by weight of applicable packaging placed on the market for the first time in 2026, up from 78% in the EU Council's bargaining position. The legislation's passage through the EU has been fraught, with the EU Commission objecting to the provisional agreement between the Parliament and the Council, and with widespread talk circulating in the run up to the vote that the members would not support it at Coreper. These factors are understood to be behind the last minute amendments. The regulation now faces a final approval vote in the EU Parliament’s April plenary session, if it passes that vote it will be adopted in to law. Insight by Mark VictoryAdditional reporting by Matt Tudball

25-Mar-2024

Europe top stories: weekly summary

LONDON (ICIS)–Here are some of the top stories from ICIS Europe for the week ended 22 March. Much improved outlook from manufacturers in Germany The business climate for manufacturing in Germany improved markedly in March, the Munich-based ifo Institute said on Friday, with its latest survey results supporting wider views on an improving economy. Eurozone private sector moves closer to stability in March, UK firms The eurozone private sector came close to stabilising this month, driven by a more pronounced return to growth footing for services, but the disparity between a stronger southern Europe and ongoing weakness in France and Germany continued. INSIGHT: SAF catalyst technology could also boost biochemicals production Catalyst technology used to power the first transatlantic flight conducted by a commercial airline which used 100% sustainable aviation fuel (SAF), could also have applications in chemicals production if a market can be developed to allow for commercial scale up. INEOS to end ethanol production at Grangemouth in Q1 2025 Slowing demand and cheap imports were cited as the key reasons why INEOS decided to halt production of synthetic ethanol at its Grangemouth site in the UK in Q1 2025. Europe PE/PP contracts settle up from February, sentiment noticeably weaker In Europe, polyethylene (PE) and polypropylene (PP) contracts for March have settled up from February and above the monomer, although sentiment has weakened.

25-Mar-2024

China’s Sinopec 2023 profit falls 13% as chemicals incur loss for second year

SINGAPORE (ICIS)–Chinese producer Sinopec posted a 12.9% decrease in full-year 2023 net profit as product prices fell across the board, dragged down by operating losses in chemicals. Chemicals segment incurs CNY6.0bn ($832m) loss in 2023 Refining earnings surge 69% as crude prices fall 2024 C2 output growth to slow from 6.5% in 2023 Sinopec is a major chemical producer in China. In million yuan (CNY) 2023 2022 Change Revenue 3,212,215 3,318,168 -3.2% Operating expenses -3,125,387 -3,242,333 -3.6% Operating profit 86,828 75,835 14.5% Profits attributable to shareholders 58,310 66,933 -12.9% Among its four business segments, only chemicals reported a loss in 2023. The segment incurred operating losses for the second consecutive year. The 2023 figure, however, was much lower compared with 2022, aided in part by feedstock optimization and increased run rates of profitable plants. Operating profit (loss) in CNY million 2023 2022 Change Exploration & production              44,963 53,716 -16.3% Refining              20,608 12,211 68.8% Marketing & distribution              25,939 24,537 5.7% Chemicals              (6,036) (14,127) N/A The chemical market faced a tough oversupply condition last year, following a significant increase in China’s petrochemical capacity, with declining prices dampening production margins. China’s domestic chemical product prices in 2023 declined by 7.0%, with chemical margin at a low level, the company said. Its ethylene (C2) production in 2023 stood at 14.31 million tonnes, up by 6.5% from 2022. Sinopec’s total chemical sales volume last year increased by 1.7% to 83 million tonnes, it said. Meanwhile, operating profit from refining in 2023 surged 69% due to lower crude prices, with both refinery throughput and domestic sales of oil products hitting record highs. In 2023, Sinopec processed 258 million tonnes of crude, up by 6.3% from 2022. Domestic sales of refined oil products (including gasoline, diesel and kerosene) last year reached 188 million tonnes, up 15.8% from the previous year. For 2024, the company expects the Chinese economy will maintain a sustainable trend of recovery, with domestic demand for natural gas, fuel and chemicals to continue growing. It expects volatility in crude prices to persist. “Due to changes in global supply and demand, geopolitics and inventory levels, international oil prices are expected to fluctuate at medium to high levels,” Sinopec noted. “Our company will put more focus on value creation with priority given to profit generation, transition, upgrading, reform, innovation, and risk control,” it said. Sinopec 2024 forecasts 2024E* 2023 change Crude production (million barrels) 279.06 281.12 -0.7% Natural gas outputs (billion cubic feet) 1,379.70 1,337.82 3.1% Crude throughput (million tonnes) 260 257.52 1.0% Refined oil products output (million tonnes) 159 156 1.9% Domestic sales of oil products (million tonnes) 191 188.17 1.5% Ethylene production (million tonnes) 14.35 14.31 0.3% Capital expenditure (CNY billion) 173 176.8 -2.1% *Sinopec estimates Focus article by Fanny Zhang ($1 = CNY7.21) Thumbnail image: At the container terminal of Nanjing Port in Jiangsu Province, China, on 19 March 2024.(Costfoto/NurPhoto/Shutterstock)

25-Mar-2024

India sets import price floor for synthetic knitted fabrics to ward off dumping

MUMBAI (ICIS)–India has imposed a minimum import price (MIP) of $3.50/tonne on selected synthetic knitted fabrics over the next six months, in response to a petition from the domestic industry to halt flooding of cheap material, primarily from China. Man-made fabric imports from China post rapid growth in recent years India demand surges following spikes in cotton prices Local players hope for extension of six-month measure The floor price applies to five specified HS [harmonised system] codes of synthetic knitted fabric with immediate effect, according to a notification from India’s Ministry of Commerce & Industry dated 16 March. Up to 15 September, importing synthetic knitted fabrics that fall under these categories is prohibited unless their cost, insurance and freight (CIF) value is $3.50/kg or higher. Local industry players were hopeful that the measure would be extended beyond mid-September. “The decision to impose MIP will effectively curb the import of undervalued synthetic knitted fabrics being dumped into India, providing much needed relief to the industry that has suffered from this practice for years,” Northern India Textile Mills Association (NITMA) president Sanjay Garg had said on 16 March. The measure would protect the domestic manmade fabric (MMF) industry from a flood of cheap imports, according to local industry players. India’s MMF imports from China more than doubled to 686 tonnes/day in the current fiscal year ending March 2024, from 325 tonnes/day in 2019-20, according to industry body All India Knitters Association (AIKA) in complaint filed with the government dated November 2023. For dyed synthetic knitted fibres with HS code 60063200, imports from the northeastern country had surged to 504 tonnes/day from 203 tonnes/day over the same period, the association said. India also imports MMF from Indonesia, Thailand, Vietnam, Japan and South Korea, but the volumes from these countries were largely stable over the past four years. Demand for synthetic fabrics in India surged in early 2023 largely following spikes cotton prices, which forced many domestic small and medium enterprises to switch to cheap imports of synthetic fabrics, to meet domestic demand at lower cost. Punjab Dyers’ Association (PDA) secretary Bobby Jindal said: “In the absence of an MIP, synthetic fibre and fabric was being imported at one-tenth the domestic prices which had crippled the domestic industry.” “This move [MIP imposition] aims to reduce the influx of low-cost imports and safeguard the interests of domestic producers,” an official from India’s Ministry of Textiles said on Thursday. “We expect to see some changes in the pricing and sourcing patterns of importers in response to the new regulations following which a decision may be taken regarding the extension of the MIP,” the government official said. “Unless there are any notifications to extend the MIP, the free import policy will resume on September 16,” he added. The Federation of Gujarat Weavers Association has also been running a campaign against dumping of products from China, and in December 2023, there were talks of weaving units needing to cut production by nearly 20% due to unsold stocks. India is the world’s third-largest exporter of textiles and apparels with about a 5% share of the global pie in 2022-23, with hubs located in Ludhiana in the northwestern Punjab state; Surat in the western Gujarat state; and Erode in the southern Tamil Nadu state. Its exports of MMF textiles and apparel stood at about $10bn in the fiscal year ending March 2022. Focus article by Priya Jestin

21-Mar-2024

INSIGHT: SAF catalyst technology could also boost biochemicals production

LONDON and BARCELONA (ICIS)–Catalyst technology used to power the first transatlantic flight conducted by a commercial airline which used 100% sustainable aviation fuel (SAF), could also have applications in chemicals production if a market can be developed to allow for commercial scale up. The SAF used on the voyage, dubbed Flight100, was a SAF blend containing 88% HEFA hydroprocessed esters and fatty acids (HEFA) supplied by AirBP, the specialised aviation division of BP, and 12% SAK synthetic aromatic kerosene (SAK) supplied by Virent, a subsidiary of Marathon Petroleum Corporation. Virent developed the SAK in conjunction with Johnson Matthey, using the latter’s proprietary BioForming sugars to aromatic process. Feedstocks such as sugar beet, sugar cane, and corn are currently used in the process, which is also capable of utilising cellulosic sugars as feedstock. Current forms of SAF linked to HEFA and Fischer Tropsch Synthetic Paraffinic Kerosene (FT-SPK) require conventional jet fuel blending to enable an 8-25% aromatics presence to enable optimum fuel burning. Fossil-based conventional jet kerosene is blended with HEFA and FT-SPK based SAF to create a balance between the paraffins and aromatics required to ensure proper fuel system operations. The BioForming sugars to aromatics process results in bio-based aromatics in the SAK, which enables up to a 100% drop in form of SAF, and can be compatible as a jet kerosene replacement. The SAK can also be blended with other types of SAF to boost the overall SAF content in the fuel mix. The BioForming process could potentially play a vital role in helping scale up the much-needed global SAF capacity expansion required to meet the aviation sectors’ aim to reduce emissions. The International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) adopted a global framework in November 2023, in which member states committed to strive towards reducing carbon emissions in international aviation by 5% by 2030 using SAF, low carbon aviation fuels, and other clean energy sources. The EU is implementing a minimum SAF blend of 2% starting from 2025. Mandated SAF blending rates in airports across the bloc will increase to 6% by 2030, 20% by 2035, and 34% by 2040, eventually reaching 70% by 2050. The US Department of Energy (DOE) published a plan that sees the country potentially meeting 100% of its projected jet fuel demand with SAF by 2050. A 10% blending target by 2030 has also been set by the OneWorld airline alliance, which includes British Airways, American Airlines, Qatar Airways, Cathay Pacific, Malaysian Airlines, and others as members. Currently, SAF makes up just over 0.1% in the global aviation fuel mix, which continues to be dominated by fossil-based jet kerosene. Johnson Matthey must overcome any possible financial hurdles that may arise before it can scale up its BioForming technology. Clariant was forced to shutdown its bioethanol plant in Podari, Romania, which also used cellulosic biomass as a feedstock. The company struggled to license out its Sunliquid technology while grappling to ramp up capacity of its bioethanol plant amid challenging operating economics. Johnson Matthey and other companies spearheading technological developments in biofuels and bio-chemicals will have to consider lessons incurred from other projects and integrate such learnings into future plans. BIOCHEMICAL FEEDSTOCK POTENTIAL According to David Kettner, president and general counsel at Virent, this technology has huge potential as a feedstock for chemicals production because it can use a variety of feedstocks to produce the sugars required for the process. This includes lignocellulosic sugars from woody biomass or agricultural residues. One third of the output of the process can be used for biochemical production and the company has already cooperated with companies such as Coca Cola where it produced bio-polyethylene terephthalate (PET) packaging. Virent also cooperated with Japan’s Toray Industries to produce polymers which were used by the Patagonia clothing brand to produce a 100% bio-based polyester product. The chemical feedstock produced by the process most closely resembles mixed xylenes. “The stream itself looks very much similar to what you would see coming out of a reforming unit," Kettner said. "You would take your mixed xylenes cut and be able to put it directly into existing processes for the production of benzene, toluene and xylenes, all of which have strong uses in polymer applications.” He said a demonstration plant currently produces around one barrel/day of bio-reformate with the potential to scale up to commercial levels “very comfortably”. Iain Gilmore, senior manager of Catalyst Technologies at Johnson Matthey added: “We are working at the moment with Virent and Marathon at commercializing the technology and we're pretty confident we can get the size of plants up in the region of 300,000-400,000 tonnes/year of bio-reformate. The project is going through the engineering and design phase, but is not yet at the stage where a formal announcement will be made. Johnson Matthey and Virent have also developed a joint licensing model which is currently being taken to market, led by Johnson Matthey. Insight by Nazif Nazmul and Will Beacham Thumbnail photo: A 100% SAF-fuelled Virgin Atlantic flight (Source: Justin Lane/EPA/EFE/Shutterstock)

20-Mar-2024

AFPM '24: INSIGHT: Biden ending term with regulatory bang for US chems

HOUSTON (ICIS)–The administration of US President Joe Biden is proposing a wave of regulations before its term ends in 2025, many of which will increase costs for chemical companies in the US and persist even if the nation elects a new president later this year. The prospect of such consequential policies comes as delegates head into this year's International Petrochemical Conference (IPC), hosted by the American Fuel & Petrochemical Manufacturers (AFPM). Changes to the Clean Waters Act, the Risk Management Program (RMP) and the Hazard Communication Standard are among the most consequential policies being considered by US regulators. Electric vehicles (EVs) could receive more support from federal and state governments. This would increase demand for plastics used in EVs while discouraging refiners from making further investments, which could limit US production of benzene, toluene and mixed xylenes (MX). The failure of Congress to re-authorize the nation's chemical site security program could spell its end. REGULATORY PUSH DURING ELECTION YEARSuch a regulatory push by the Biden administration was flagged last year by the Alliance for Chemical Distribution (ACD), the new name for the National Association of Chemical Distributors (NACD). The group was not crying wolf. The next nine months could rank among the worst for the chemical industry in terms of regulatory change and potential issues, said Eric Byer, president of the ACD. "Whatever it's going to be, it will come done fairly aggressively." The Biden administration has proposed several consequential policies. For the Clean Water Act, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is developing new requirements, which will require chemical producers and other companies to develop plans to address the worst possible discharge from their plants. The ACD warned that the new requirement would raise compliance costs while doing little to reduce the already small number of discharges by plants. The final rule is scheduled to be published in April 2024. For the RMP, changes could require chemical companies to share information that has been off limits since the 9/11 terrorist attacks, according to the American Chemistry Council (ACC). The concern is that the information will fall into the wrong hands, while significantly increasing costs to comply with the new requirements, according to the ACD. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) is introducing changes to its Hazard Communication Standard that could create more burdens for companies. The ACD warned that some of the changes will increase costs without providing a commensurate improvement in safety. The EPA has started the multiyear process that, under the regulator's current whole-chemical approach, will lead to restrictions imposed on vinyl chloride monomer (VCM), acrylonitrile (ACN) and aniline, a chemical used to make methylene diphenyl diisocyanate (MDI). This is being done through the nation's main chemical safety program, known as the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA). MORE POLICIES PROPOSED FOR EVsThe Biden administration is proposing additional polices to encourage the adoption of EVs. For chemical producers, more EVs would increase demand for plastics, resins and thermal management fluids that are designed to meet the material challenges of these automobiles. At the same time, the push towards EVs could limit sales of automobiles powered by internal combustion engines (ICEs), lowering demand for gasoline and diesel. Refiners could decide to shut down and repurpose their complexes if they expect demand for their main products will stop growing or decline. That would lower production of aromatics and other refinery chemicals and refined products. The Biden administration is moving on three fronts to encourage EV sales. The EPA is expected to decide if California can adopt its Advanced Clean Car II (ACC II), which would phase out the sale of ICE-based vehicles to 2035. If the EPA grants California's request, that would trigger similar programs in several other states. The EPA's light-duty vehicle proposal would impose stricter standards on tail pipe emissions. The US Department of Transportation (DOT) is proposing stricter efficiency standards under its Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) program. The AFPM opposes these measures. It said the EPA's light-duty vehicle proposal and DOT's new CAFE standards are so demanding, it would force automobile companies to produce a lot more EVs, plug-in hybrids and fuel-cell vehicles to meet the more ambitious requirements. LAX OVERSIGHT OF SHIPPING RATES IN WAKE OF HOUTHISThe ACD raised concerns that the US is not doing enough to address the possibility that shipping rates and delays have increased beyond what could be justified by the disruptions caused by the drought in Panama and by the Houthi attacks on vessels passing through the Red Sea to the Suez Canal. The ACD accepts that costs will rise, but it expressed concerns that shipping companies could be taking advantage of the situation by charging excessive rates on routes unaffected by the disruptions. These include routes from India and China to the western coast of the US, Byer said. "Why are you jacking up the price two or threefold?" LABOR NEGOTIATIONS FOR US EAST COASTThe work contract will expire this year for dockworkers and ports along the East Coast of the US. Byer warned of a possible strike if the talks become too contentious. On the West Coast, dockworkers and ports reached an agreement on a six-year work contract. CFATS ON LIFE SUPPORTByer expressed concerns about the future of the main chemical-site security program, called the Chemical Facility Anti-Terrorism Standards (CFATS). CFATS is overseen by the Cybersecurity & Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), which is under the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). CISA lost authority to implement CFATS on 28 July 2023, when a bill that would have re-authorized it was blocked from going to a vote in the Senate. Without CFATS, other federal and state agencies could create their own chemical-site security regulations. This process has already started in the US state of Nebraska, where State Senator Eliot Bostar introduced LB1048. Other nearby states in the plains could introduce similar bills, because they tend to follow each other's lead, Byer said. Many of these state legislatures should wrap up sessions in the next couple of months, so lawmakers still have time to propose chemical-site security bills. The ACD is most concerned about larger states creating chemical-site security programs, such as California, Illinois, New Jersey and New York. SENATE RAIL BILL REMAINS PENDINGA Senate rail safety bill has been pending for more than a year after a bipartisan group of legislators introduced it following the train derailment in East Palestine, Ohio. Congress has about 10 months to approve the bill before it lapses, Byer said. For bills in general, action during an election year could happen around the Memorial Day holiday in May, the 4 July recess, the August recess or before the end of September. After September, legislators will be focused on campaigning for the 5 November election. TEXAS BRINGS BACK TAX BREAKS FOR INDUSTRIAL PROJECTSTexas has revived a program that granted tax breaks to new chemical plants and other large industrial projects. The new program is called the Texas Jobs and Security Act, and it replaced the lapsed Chapter 313 School Value Limitation Agreement. The old program was popular with chemical companies, and their applications were among the first public disclosures of their expansion plans. The new program has already attracted applicants. Summit Next Gen is considering a plant that would convert 450 million gal/year of ethanol into 256 million gal/year of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF). Hosted by the AFPM, the IPC takes place on March 24-26. Insight article by Al Greenwood Thumbnail shows a federal building. Image by Lucky-photographer

18-Mar-2024

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