Latest News: Business
Gas and utility production lead industrial output gain, ACC report says
Industrial production rose by 0.4% in March, according to data from the U.S. Federal Reserve Board (Washington, D.C.; www.federalreserve.gov) that was discussed in the latest Weekly Chemistry and Economic Report from the American Chemistry Council (ACC; Washington, D.C.; www.americanchemistry.com). …
Air Liquide to develop new combustion technology for 2nd generation biofuels
Air Liquide (Paris, France; www.airliquide.com) has signed a partnership agreement with the CEA (Commission for atomic energy and alternative energies in France) aiming to develop a second-generation biofuel-production pilot unit in France. As part of this partnership, the CEA will…
Graphene stakeholders association formed
A new non-profit organization was launched this month to promote the responsible development and commercialization of graphene and graphene-enabled products. The Graphene Stakeholders Association (GSA; Buffalo, N.Y.; www.graphenestakeholders.org) is a 501(c)6 enterprise headquartered in Buffalo, NY. The GSA's founders include…
Air Products signs MOU with Gazprom for Russian helium project
Air Products (Lehigh Valley, Pa.; www.airproducts.com) announced the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Russia-based Gazprom Export LLC (www.gazpromexport.com) that confirms Air Products’ long-term plans to purchase helium from Gazprom. Gazprom intends to start development of its major…
UOP wins fourth license for MTO technology in China
UOP LLC (Des Plaines, Ill.; www.uop.com), a Honeywell company, announced today that China’s Jiangsu Sailboat Petrochemical Co. has licensed Honeywell’s UOP advanced methanol-to-olefin (MTO) process to convert methanol from gasified coal into key plastics building blocks. It is the fourth…
Praxair starts up first ASU in Bahrain
Praxair Bahrain, the Middle East-based subsidiary of Praxair, Inc. (Danbury, Conn.; www.praxair.com) has announced the start-up of its first air separation unit (ASU) in the Kingdom of Bahrain. As part of the long-term contract, Praxair will supply oxygen, nitrogen and argon…
Parsons awarded SAWS brackish-water desalination program
Parsons (Pasadena, Calif.; www.parsons.com) and a joint-venture (JV) partner, has been selected by the San Antonio Water System (SAWS) to serve as the construction manager at-risk (CMAR) for its critical brackish-groundwater desalination program. This $86-million CMAR contract includes preconstruction phase…
KBR to provide integrated technology, EPC services for grassroots ammonia plant
KBR (Houston; www.kbr.com) has been awarded a contract by Incitec Pivot Ltd.’s U.S. business, Dyno Nobel, to provide engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) services, as well as technology licensing and equipment for an ammonia plant to be built in Waggaman,…
Jacobs receives contract from BASF for Antwerp site
Jacobs Engineering Group Inc. (Pasadena, Calif.; www.jacobs.com) has received a frame agreement from BASF Antwerp N.V., part of BASF SE (Ludwiigshafen, Germany; www.basf.com) to provide engineering services at BASF’s integrated chemicals complex in Antwerp, Belgium. Under the terms of the…
Black & Veatch launches new Prico E-Pack natural-gas liquefaction plant
Black & Veatch (Houston; www.bv.com) announced today the availability of its standardized liquefied natural gas (LNG) production plant, Prico E-Pack. Based on Black & Veatch's successful PRICO LNG technology, the Prico E-Pack plant solution allows companies in the transportation, power…