Industry News
Chemical Industry News
Plant status: INEOS Phenols Singapore restarts phenol, acetone plant
SINGAPORE (ICIS)--Here is a plant status report: Name: INEOS Phenols Singapore Location: Pulau Sakra, Singapore Product: Phenol, acetone Capacity (tonnes/year): 310,000 (phenol); 185,000 (acetone)...
Plant status: Japan’s Maruzen shuts MEK unit
SINGAPORE (ICIS)--Here is a plant status report: Name: Maruzen Petrochemical Location: Chiba, Japan Product: Methyl ethyl ketone (MEK) Capacity (tonnes/year): 170,000 Event start: Around 11 April...
Asia IPA edges up, gains support from acetone strength
SINGAPORE (ICIS)--Asia’s isopropanol (IPA) spot markets were slightly firmer thus far on 19 April. Offers were predominantly heard at $1,100-1,140/tonne FOB (free on board) NE (northeast) Asia. The...
Oil surges by $3/barrel on Mideast supply disruption fears
SINGAPORE (ICIS)--Oil prices surged by more than $3/barrel in early Asian trade on Friday on heightened fears of supply disruption following unconfirmed reports of explosions in the Middle East....
Asia MEK discussions stable, China firms on improved demand
SINGAPORE (ICIS)--Asia’s methyl ethyl ketone (MEK) US dollar-denominated spot markets were generally stable thus far on 19 April. On the contrary, China's domestic market extended gains from the...
China’s titanium dioxide exports down in February to 133,659 tonnes
SINGAPORE (ICIS)--China’s February titanium dioxide (TiO2) exports fell to 133,659 tonnes compared with January, according to the ICIS Supply and Demand Database. January exports was 159,746 tonnes...
Chemists invent a more efficient way to extract lithium from mining sites, oil fields, used batteries
Chemists at the Department of Energy’s Oak Ridge National Laboratory have invented a more efficient way to extract lithium from waste liquids leached from mining sites, oil fields and used batteries. They demonstrated that a
US PPG Q1 earnings rise, plans final decision on architectural coatings business no later than end of Q3
HOUSTON (ICIS)--PPG’s Q1 earnings surged year on year as costs fell faster than sales, and the US-based paints and coatings producer said it expects low single-digit percentage growth in Q2, the...
Plant status: Petrocuyo’s Ensenada PP plant restarts after scheduled maintenance
HOUSTON (ICIS)--Here is a plant status report. Name: Petrocuyo Location: Ensenada, Argentina Product: Polypropylene (PP) Capacity (tonnes/year): 180,000 Event start: 29 March Event finish: 18 April...
Europe SAN April contract prices increase
LONDON (ICIS)--April contract prices have increased €60/tonne in the Europe styrene acrylonitrile (ACN) market, the third month in a row prices have increased. The styrene acrylonitrile (SAN)...
CRUDE SUMMARY: Oil prices recover morning losses despite cooling Middle East tensions
Brent steadies after retreat from $90/barrel as Middle East tensions ease Bearish US crude stock build weighs on market sentiment Venezuela to lose US license to export oil LONDON (ICIS)--Oil prices...
Bulgaria could lose €660m amid power market reform delay
Bulgarian parliament set to vote on 19 April on one-year delay to power market liberalisation This means the country could lose €660m in funding from the EU recovery and resilience plan and face...
Further power export capacity cuts possible – French TSO
French grid operator warns it might have to implement further export capacity reductions This could support price volatility when curtailments are announced. Curtailment measures expected until...
Venator’s closing process underway for sulphuric acid, standard TiO2 units at Duisburg site
LONDON (ICIS)--Venator has initiated its shutdown process at its Duisburg site for affected units, starting with its sulphuric acid plant and with the standard titanium dioxide (TiO2) production due...
Brazil’s Petrobras, China’s CNCEC mull petchems, fertilizers joint projects
SAO PAULO (ICIS)--Petrobras and China’s chemicals major CNCEC have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to explore petrochemicals and fertilizers joint projects, the Brazilian state-owned...
Linde to build hydrogen plant in Sao Paulo state
SAO PAULO (ICIS)--Linde is to build a 5MW electrolyzer plant to produce green hydrogen in Sao Paulo state, with some of its output to be delivered to glass manufacturer Cebrace, the industrial gases...
US existing home sales fall 4.3% in March
HOUSTON (ICIS)--Sales of existing homes in the US fell 4.3% from February to a 4.19 million seasonally adjusted annual rate in March, according to data from the National Association of Realtors (NAR)...
New $132 million chemistry building opens at University of Maryland
Facility will act as a focal point for quantum chemistry, molecular nanoscience and sustainability research
How to teach university-level chemistry well
Five tips for educating and inspiring university students
Oil and gas industry emissions are not on track to hit climate goals
Several big firms have rolled back their targets, saying governments need to set pace with policy