China's Jilin Chemical Industry Corp., a subsidiary of PetroChina Co. Ltd., will expand its ethylene cracking capacity in Jilin province. The company will raise the capacity of one of its two ethylene crackers to 600,000 tonnes/year from 300,000 tonnes a year. The 600 million yuan expansion is in the planning stage. The company expects work to begin next year, with completion scheduled in 2002. The expansion will also involve building some polyethylene units.
Phillips Petroleum Co. and UOP LLC announced Nov. 8 they will form an alliance to jointly license and support Phillips� proprietary MaxCat coke reduction technology worldwide. Developed at Phillips� research and development facilities in Bartlesville, Okla., the process additive technology is in use at Phillips� US refining facilities and at a licensee�s Kansas refinery, a joint statement said.
Intercontinental Quimica SA (Interquisa)�a wholly owned subsidiary of the Spanish company CEPSA�and Washington Group International Inc.'s petroleum and chemical unit have agreed to form an alliance to market Interquisa's proprietary purified terephthalic acid technology. Washington Group will be responsible for marketing, licensing, and basic design; Interquisa will provide technology support and operator training and startup services.
Ultramar Diamond Shamrock Corp. said its employees have chosen Golden Eagle as the new name for the Avon refinery, which UDS acquired earlier this year from Tosco Inc. (OGJ Online, July 6, 2000).
The Syncrude Canada Ltd. oilsands consortium has resumed full production after an Oct. 17 explosion in the fractionator tower of one of two coking units cut output by half. Syncrude originally said the 110,000 b/d coker unit at the northern Alberta plant would not be back in service until Nov. 15. The consortium has reduced its 2000 production estimate to 75 million bbl from 79 million bbl.