Air Products has plans to develop a new net-zero hydrogen energy complex in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. The project is expected to capture over 95 % of the CO2 from the feedstock natural gas and store it safely under the earth.

No end in sight to the shale gas bonanza–Energy is now available in the US at bargain-basement prices. Moreover, there is strong demand for ethane as a cracker feedstock because at current prices it is virtually unbeatable. What affect does all of this have on value chains in the chemical industry? Are we looking at a catastrophe or an opportunity? That depends on whether you are a pessimist or an optimist.

Engineering company Foster Wheeler works on an ultra-low sulfur diesel (ULSD) project at the Salina Cruz refinery of Pemex in Oaxaca, Mexico. Foster Wheeler’s scope of work, which also includes start-up and testing, is scheduled to be completed in 2018.

Nature Works has plans to establish a new fully integrated Ingeo PLA production facility in Thailand. Expected to have a capacity of 75,000 tons annually, the plant is scheduled to be completed by 2024.

With an aim to support the company’s growth plans, Exxon Mobil has undertaken this move. The firm also plans to centralise its project delivery across the company and further integrate its upstream business with the downstream and chemical segments.

By reconfiguring its global production capabilities, Celanese intends to have a more optimised production network with significant productivity gains, improved cost structure and growth.

BASF and Mitsui Chemicals have launched a collaborative study to promote a circular economy for plastics in Japan. Mitsui Chemicals has plans to become carbon-neutral by 2050 and thus, aims at developing recycling technologies.

Lanxess will be attending the In-Adhesives Symposium in Munich this year with an expert presentation. Ronald M. Emanuel, Senior R&D Scientist, Global Research and Development Adhesives, at the company’s Urethane Systems business unit, will speak about “Unique High Performance Low Monomer Urethane Prepolymers for Hot Melt Adhesives” on February 26, 2019.

Technip FMC has been awarded a large reimbursable contract by Exxon Mobil for detailed engineering, procurement, and construction for the recently announced crude expansion project in Beaumont, Texas, USA.

A huge fire recently broke out at SVS Aqua Technologies, a chemical company in Pune, India. The fire left 17 people dead however the cause of the fire is yet to be ascertained.