Qatar Petroleum has completed integration of the linear alkyl benzene (LAB) producer, SEEF. SEEF operates a 100-ktpa LAB plant near Qatar Petroleum’s refinery in Mesaieed and also produces 80 ktpa of normal paraffin and 36 ktpa of benzene.
LyondellBasell has signed agreements with the Chinese private refiner, Liaoning Bora Enterprise Group (Bora), on a $2.6-billion China petrochemicals joint venture. The JV will operate a 1.1-MMtpa ethylene cracker and polyolefin derivatives complex in Panjin.
Shell has put the construction of its1.5-MMtpa ethane cracker and 1.6-MMtpy polyethylene plant in Monaca, PA on hold due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Work will restart in phases once additional measures aligned with U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidance to protect employees are in place. The project is expected to start-up in 2021.
Canadian midstream energy and petrochemicals company, Pembina, has postponed its propane dehydrogenation (PDH) and polypropylene (PP) project in Alberta to cut capex in the current environment. It is also deferring its investment in a JV with Canada Kuwait Petrochemical for an integrated propane PDH/PP complex in Alberta. Other deferred projects include a co-generation power facility and the expansion of an LPG export terminal in British Columbia.
U.S.-based acetyls producer, Celanese, has announced an 18-months delay in construction of the new 800-ktpa acetic acid plant and the expansion of methanol production at its Clear Lake, TX site. The project will increase the Clear Lake site capacity by 54% and is now expected to be complete by 2023. Celanese is planning to reduce its capacity in Asia, mainly China and Singapore by 600-ktpa while growing U.S. production.
South African petrochemicals company, Sasol, has cut its guidance for synthetic fuel production and liquid fuel sales for 2020 amid nationwide lockdowns from COVID-19. The company plans to lower its production of synthetic fuel by 0.4 MMtpa to approximately 7.3 - 7.4 MMtpa. It is also targeting sales of 50–51 million barrels of liquid fuel in 2020 which is 7 million barrels lower than pre-COVID guidance.
Methanex has deferred ~$500 million of previously announced capital spending on its Geismar 3 methanol project for up to 18 months. The company has made this decision in light of significant uncertainty in the global economy from the COVID-19 pandemic resulting in a challenging commodity price and project execution environment.
AGIC, a subsidiary of Saudi Arabian polypropylene producer Advanced Petrochemical, is forming a joint venture with South Korea’s SKGP, a subsidiary of SK Gas, to build 843-ktpa propylene and 800-ktpa polypropylene complexes in Jubail, Saudi Arabia. The JV will invest $1.8 billion with AGIC holding 85% stake and SKGP holding the remainder. AGIC has licensed U.S.-based Lummus' Catofin and LyondellBasell's Spheripol and Spherizone PP technologies.
Nova Chemicals has paused construction activities on its new AST2 polyethylene facility and Corunna cracker expansion projects in Ontario in order to maintain health and safety of their employees. The project includes expansion of its 816-ktpa Corunna ethylene cracker capacity by 50% and building a 450-ktpa PE plant both at Sarnia, Ontario.
ExxonMobil broke ground on its solely-funded chemical complex in Huizhou, southern China's Guangdong Province with a total investment of ~$10 billion expected to be built in two phases. The first phase with a 1.6-MMtpa ethylene cracker and downstream production equipment is scheduled to be completed by 2023 when the second phase will begin. The company expects an annual operating income of $5.5 billion when the first phase reaches design capacity.
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