Latest News: Business
KBR’s first VCC-technology processing unit in Russia enters construction phase
In February 2012, KBR (Houston; www.kbr.com) signed an agreement with TAIF-NK (www.en.taif.ru) to establish a Veba Combi Cracker (VCC) technology processing unit to be implemented at the Nizhnekamsk petroleum refinery in the Republic of Tatarstan, Russia (www.chemengonline.com/only_on_che/latest_news/9005.html). The unit, whose…
Renewable farnesene facility starts production in Brazil
The renewable chemicals and fuels company Amyris, Inc. (Emeryville, Calif.; www.amyris.com) today announced it has started production of renewable farnesene at its purpose-built industrial fermentation facility in Brazil. The Amyris brand of farnesene is known as BioFene. The company also…
BASF to sell Meyco Equipment business to Atlas Copco
BASF SE (Ludwigshafen, Germany; www.basf.com) has signed a contract with Atlas Copco to sell its Meyco Equipment business providing concrete spraying machines to the tunneling and mining industries. The machinery manufacturer, which is based in Stockholm, Sweden, will continue operations…
Chemical production slips globally; U.S. flat, says ACC
Overall production of chemicals, as measured by the Global Chemical Production Regional Index (Global CPRI), slipped 0.3% in November, while chemical production in the U.S. was flat, according to data from the American Chemistry Council (ACC; Washington, D.C.; www.americanchemistry.com). …
Evonik expands U.S. production of precipitated silica
Evonik Industries AG (Essen, Germany; www.evonik.com) plans to increase its annual production capacities for precipitated silica at its site in Chester, Pa. by around 20,000 metric tons. The new facility, which received an investment in lower double-digit euros range, is…
Technip awarded EPC contract by BASF
Technip (Paris, France; www.technip), in a consortium with Asahi Kasei Chemicals Corp. Japan; www.asahi-kasei.co.jp/chemicals, was awarded by BASF SE a lump sum turnkey engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) contract, for the expansion project of a chlorine plant (chlor-alkali). The plant…
Caloric to supply H2-generating plant to the Czech Republic
Caloric Anlagenbau GmbH (Gräfelfing, Germany; www.caloric.com) has won the contract for a hydrogen generating plant with a capacity of 2,000 Nm³/h based on naphtha feed stock. The hydrogen unit will be located in the Czech Republic proving hydrogen to a…
Foster Wheeler awarded PMC contract for clean-fuels project in Kuwait
Foster Wheeler AG (Zug, Switzerland; www.fwc.com) says that its Global Engineering and Construction Group has been awarded a project management and consultancy (PMC) services contract by Kuwait National Petroleum Co. (KNPC) for its Clean Fuels Project at the Mina Al-Ahmadi…
Outotec to provide gas cleaning, sulfuric acid and effluent-treatment technologies for Namibia Custom Smelters
Outotec Oyj (Espoo, Finland; www.outotec.com) and Namibia Custom Smelters have agreed on the design and delivery of a gas cleaning system, sulfuric acid plant and related technologies downstream of the existing copper smelter in Tsumeb, North Province of Namibia. The…
Jacobs receives contract from Aura Minerals for copper mine expansion
Jacobs Engineering Group Inc. (Pasadena, Calif.; www.jacobs.com) was awarded a contract by Aura Minerals Inc. to provide a basic engineering package for the expansion of the process plant at its Aranzazu copper-gold-silver mine located in the state of Zacatecas, Mexico.…