Plant Watch Repsol plans new synthetic fuels, pyrolysis plants in decarbonization push June 16, 2020 — Repsol S.A. (Madrid, Spain; www.repsol.com) announced two decarbonization projects to be located in the Port of Bilbao, Spain. The first project, in which €60…
This column is based on “Isopropyl Alcohol Production from Acetone – Cost Analysis,” a report published by Intratec. It can be found at: www.intratec.us/analysis/isopropyl-alcohol-production-cost. Isopropyl alcohol (also known as isopropanol or 2-propanol) is a colorless and flammable liquid with a…
A personal development strategy helps to set engineers up for success in their personal and professional lives As chemical engineers, we have been trained to be data-driven, fact-based problem-solvers. This focus serves us well when we are tackling difficult technical…
The Chemical Activity Barometer (CAB), a leading economic indicator created by the American Chemistry Council (ACC; Washington, D.C.; www.americanchemistry.com), eased 0.3 percent in June on a three-month moving average (3MMA) basis following a 4.6 percent decline in May. On a…
The following recently published books may be of interest to chemical process industries (CPI) professionals: Smart Manufacturing: Applications and Case Studies. Edited by Masoud Soroush, Michael Baldea and Thomas Edgar, Elsevier Press, 2020, 525 pages, $200.00. Analytical Design of PID…
Key U.S. chemical industry metrics will be lower this year, according to the American Chemistry Council’s (ACC; Washington, D.C.; www.americanchemistry.com) Mid-Year 2020 Chemical Industry Situation and Outlook. Production volumes, shipments and capital spending will fall due to economic and business…
According to the American Chemistry Council (ACC; Washington, D.C.; www.americanchemstry.com), the U.S. Chemical Production Regional Index (U.S. CPRI) fell by 2.0 percent in May following a 2.7 percent decline in April and a 0.9 percent decline in March. During May,…
The preliminary value for the CE Plant Cost Index (CEPCI) for April 2020 (the most recent available) decreased compared to the previous month’s value, with the values of all four major subindices (Equipment; Construction Labor; Buildings; and Engineering & Supervision)…
The American Chemistry Council (ACC; Washington, D.C.; www.americanchemistry.com) reported that U.S. specialty chemicals market volumes rose 1.4 percent in May, an improvement from the record 12.5 percent drop in April and declining activity since January. Of the 28 specialty chemical…
Clariant Catalysts (Munich, Germany; www.clariant.com) is expanding its high-throughput R&D center in Palo Alto, Calif. Thanks to a significant investment, the upgraded facility is fitted with the latest high-throughput equipment, and will be home to an expanded team of technical…