supplier of organometallic catalystsfor polyolefins and elastomers. Graceis also strong in silica-based andchrome-based catalyst technology. Itwould like to take its technologyaround chrome, silica, Ziegler-Natta,and the components business,combine them, and make specialtycatalysts for a range of customersacross the polyolefins business. Thecompany scans the catalystbusinesses for bolt-on acquisitions.The world market in specialtycatalysts market is growing at abouttwice GDP on a long-term basis.Grace says it is investing inacquisitions and in its specialtycatalysts business, and also inorganic growth. It is mainly engagingin de-bottlenecking activities. GraceDavison, which includes catalysts,silicas, and other specialty chemicals,had sales of $1.37 bn in 2005. In 1Q2006, sales rose 7% to $356 Mthough pretax operating profits fell 5%to $36 M because higher energy andraw material costs, and restructuringexpenses ate into earnings.

Chemical Market Reporter, 12 Jun 2006, (Website:http://www.chemicalmarketreporter.com) & Pressrelease from: WR Grace & Co, Columbia, MD, USA.Website: http://www.grace.com (2 Jun 2006)

NEW PLANTSIneos silicas’ project three monthsearly

Ineos Silicas has brought on stream acapacity expansion formicrospheroidal silicas at its plant inWarrington, UK. Commissioning of theproject is three months ahead ofschedule. The plant manufactures ESproduct range designed for use in theproduction of polyolefinpolymerization catalysts, which has agrowth rate of around 5%/y.

ICIS Chemical Business, 5 Jun 2006, (Website:http://icischemicalbusiness.com)

First GTL plant starts in Qatar

The first commercial-scale gas-to-liquids (GTL) plant worldwide hascome onstream in Ras LaffanIndustrial City, Qatar. The plantbelongs to Onxy GTL. It cost $950 Mand has capacity of 34,000 barrel/day.The plant will produce 24,000

barrel/day diesel, 9000 barrel/day ofnaphtha and 1000 barrel/day of LP gas.

Chemical Market Reporter, 12 Jun 2006, (Website:http://www.chemicalmarketreporter.com) & ICISChemical Business, 12 Jun 2006, (Website:http://icischemicalbusiness.com)

GTL bids invited for Qatar

Qatar has received contract bids forsections of the company’s $7 bn PearlGTL (gas-to-liquid) plant, despite awidespread observation that it haseased off the pace of its GTL projects.Tecnicas Reunidas and Saipen ofSpain and Italy, a Korean-Emiratesconsortium comprising PetrofacInternational, Daewoo and GSEngineering, and a Japaneseconsortium of Toyo and Hyundaitendered bids for the $1 bn contractfor the C5 unit. Petrofac, Black &Veatch, Chiyoda and Hyundai arebidding for the $700 M C4 plant. The$800 M air separation contractattracted bids from Linde, ChicagoBridge, & Iron and Air Products.

Nitrogen + Syngas, May/Jun 2006, (281), 10

French invest in new biorefinery:Roquette Frère

SKR 900 M is to be invested in aFrench biorefinery project, BioHub,which will be led by the French starch-based biorefining firm Roquette Frère.SKR 400 M will be contributed by thenewly created French authority All(department of industrial development).Fermentation and enzyme technologywill be used to manufacture substancessuch as lactate, gluconate, and sorbitol.The new biorefinery will use grain rawmaterial, particularly maize and wheat,as the basis for major pilot projects forthe development of various chemicalproducts. Each year 1.3 M tonnes ofgrain from 160,000 hectares will beprocessed.

Kemivarlden Biotech med Kemisk Tidskrift, May 2006,(5), 10 (in Swedish)

Technip to build biodiesel unit for agreener future

Technip has won a turnkey contractfrom Diester Industrie coveringconstruction of a new biodiesel plantat Montoir-de-Bretagne, near SaintNazaire, France. The plant will bebased on Technip’s Axens technologyand will have a capacity of 250,000

tonne/y. It is slated to come on streamin spring 2007. The biodiesel, alsocalled Diester, will be produced bytransesterification of vegetable oils,such as colza and sunflower oils.France has established a programmefor biofuel development, designed tolower transportation-related airpollution and reduce dependency onimported energy.

Chemical Engineering Progress, Jun 2006, 102 (6), 14

Technip to build methanol-to-olefinsplant

Technip has been commissioned tobuild a unit to combine methanol-to-olefins (MTO) and olefins crackingtechnology. The project for TotalPetrochemicals will be in Feluy,Belgium, and will cost €40 M. Theplant is required to be finished in 2007.

Plastiques et Caoutchoucs Magazine, Feb 2006, (837),66 (in French)

Total to commercialize olefin crackingprocess

Total Petrochemicals will be using itsolefins cracking process (OCP) in thecompany’s plans to establish the firstcommercial-scale plant within fiveyears. The OCP technology producesethylene and propylene by convertingC4-C8 refinery and petrochemicalstreams using a zeolite catalyst. Totaland UOP jointly developed thetechnology. The Antwerp refining andpetrochemicals site of Total will mostlikely be the place where the plant willbe set up. In 2007, the company willbegin running a pilot plant at Feluy toshow how the OCP works with amethanol-to-olefins technology. Theproject is part of the company’sproposed investment of an estimated€500 M/y ($644 M) in Total’spetrochemical operations through2010. A $300 M investment is beingspent for expanding Samsung TotalPetrochemicals jv at Daesan, Korea,to be finalized in 2007-2008.

Chemical Week, 7 Jun 2006, (Website:http://www.chemweek.com)

Basell’s Thai affiliate plans propanedehydro and PP project

HMC Polymers, an affiliate of Basell inBangkok, Thailand, plans to construct apropane dehydrogenation plant and a

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