In The News
Uhde wins clean-fuels contract for Bulgaria
Uhde GmbH (Dortmund, Germany; www.uhde.biz) won two major contracts from the Bulgarian company LUKOIL Neftochim Bourgas AD, part of the Russian petroleum group LUKOIL, to engineer and supply clean-fuels plants for diesel and gasoline desulphurization for its refinery located in…
Lanxess to make record investment in Singapore
Specialty chemicals group Lanxess AG (Leverkusen, Germany; www.lanxess.com) is set to make the biggest single investment in its history in Singapore. A new chemical production site for synthetic rubber is to be built at the chemical park on Jurong Island.…
Africa’s largest desalination plant inaugurated
A persistent shortage of potable water in the City of Algiers, Algeria was eased today as the $250-million Hamma Seawater Desalination Plant (SWDP) was officially opened by Algerian President Abdelaziz Bouteflika and Jeff Garwood president and CEO, GE Water &…
Bayer invests in research center in Aachen
A new catalysis center (www.catalyticcenter.de) has opened today in Aachen, Germany, for which the Bayer company provides more than seven million euros of funding. “To further boost our innovative strength, we support excellent performance and talent in science,” says Peter…
Lurgi Zimmer wins a another PA 6 contract in China
Lurgi Zimmer GmbH, a company of Lurgi GmbH (Frankfurt, Germany; www.lurgi.com), has contracted a Polyamide 6 plant to be built for Zhejiang Huajian Nylon Co. Ltd., China. Polyamide is a widely used polymer for sophisticated technical and textile applications. Zhejiang…
Chementator: Algae-based biodiesel
Valencent Products, Inc. (El Paso, Tex.; edlinks.chemengonline.com/7369-544) and Global Green Solutions, Inc. (Vancouver, B.C., Canada; edlinks.chemengonline.com/7369-545) are in the final stages of commercializing their patented Vertigro process, which includes the growing and harvesting of algae, and extraction of oil from…
Chementator: A push for Jatropha
Archer Daniels Midland Co. (ADM; Decatur, Ill.; edlinks.chemengonline.com/7369-547), Bayer CropScience AG (BCS; Leverkusen, Germany; edlinks.chemengonline.com/7369-548) and Daimler AG (Stuttgart, Germany) have signed a memorandum of understanding to explore the potential for a biodiesel industry based on Jatropha curcas L., a…
Economic Indicators: Business News
Plant Watch Oxea Increases Alcohol Capacity in North America January 24, 2008 — Oxea is expanding its oxo alcohols capacity at its production site in Bay City, Texas. The production capacity for propionaldehyde and n-propanol will be increased 10% by…
Chementator: Desalination barges based on reverse osmosis
Transfield Services Ltd. (edlinks.chemengonline.com/7369-549) and WorleyParsons Ltd. (both North Sydney, Australia; edlinks.chemengonline.com/7369-550) have been selected to construct two mobile-desalination units (MDU) for contingency use in the Brisbane River. The project is expected to provide 100-million L/d of potable water at…
Chementator: New ceramic-membrane system doubles rate and slashes cost for dehydrating ethanol
Hitachi Zosen Corp. (Hitz; Tokyo, Japan; edlinks.chemengonline.com/7369-531) is commercializing a new membrane for a hybrid-distillation system (HDS) that is especially suitable for dehydrating ethanol and isopropanol. The HDS can produce 99.7 vol.% ethanol from ethanol-water mixtures with 10 vol.% H2O…