Orlen Południe has started up the green propylene glycol production unit at its biorefinery complex in Trzebinia, Poland. The unit has a capacity of 30,000 tons a year and the complex will also include Poland’s first hydrogen hub.

Catherine Mac Gregor has been appointed with an aim to explore opportunities and expand Technip FMC’s portfolio through innovative models and new business lines. Previously, she has held numerous leadership positions involving global operational activities.

Mitsui and GS Energy have plans to join the low carbon blue ammonia project in Ruwais, UAE as equity partners wherein they will also supply large volumes of blue ammonia to the energy and industrial sectors in Japan and Korea in order to achieve decarbonization of these sectors. The partnerships will strengthen Abu Dhabi’s position as a leader in low-carbon fuels and clean hydrogen economy.

Petroleum Development Oman’s mega project has begun gas production from six sour wells in Oman. Under the terms of the contract, Petrofac has provided engineering, procurement, construction management and commissioning support services worth around 1.25 billion dollars for the project.

Solvay has invested in Li-metal battery start-up Sepion through its venture capital fund Solvay Ventures. With this, the company aims to accelerate commercialization of lithium metal batteries for long-range and low-cost electric vehicles. Sepion’s technology is based on an innovative polymeric membrane which prevents the growth of dendrites and can be used to leverage the current Li-ion manufacturing infrastructure and liquid electrolytes.

The Chemical Process Industry is making a concerted effort to find an alternative to oil. Natural gas, coal and biomass are all potential sources of basic chemicals, and syngas production can make a bigger contribution than it has so far.

Petro Logistics ll will make use of Dow’s proprietary fluidized catalytic dehydrogenation technology for the project which will be located on the US Gulf Coast. The specialised technology is expected to provide enhanced reliability as well as lower capital cost and energy consumption for the plant.

OMV Petrom’s Petrobrazi refinery has utilised Axens’ polyfuel technology in the new unit to upgrade LPG and light cracked naphtha into high quality fuels. The new facility is fully functional since April of this year.

At least 12 people were killed in a gas plant explosion in the central Chinese province of Henan. Xinhua news agency reported that the explosion happened in the air separation unit of the Yima gas factory of Henan Coal Gas.

The new methanol plant is expected to be constructed adjacent to Methanex’s existing Geismar 1 and Geismar 2 facilities in Louisiana, USA. The mega project is anticipated to cost between 1.3 – 1.4 billion dollars.