FOCUS ON
2018 [‘Focus on Surfactants’, Feb
2018]. The CPO export tax exemption
period was originally to have been
three months to the beginning of Apr
but the Plantation Industries and
Commodities Ministry (MPIC) decided
to prolong it. Malaysian CPO exports
were reported to have been vibrant in
Mar 2018 and were expected to remain
strong in Apr. Imports from Africa and
the Middle East were also expected to
rise in Apr-May 2018 due to Hari Raya
Puasa (Eid al-Fitr) in Jun 2018. In 1-10
Apr 2018, exports improved by 25.6%
month-to-month to 449,007 tonnes.
CPO exports in Mar 2018 jumped by
19.2% month-on-month and by 23.7%
year-on-year to 1.57 M tonnes. CPO
demand is projected to rise in the
coming months. However, domestic
plantation stocks are still deemed
‘underweight’ mainly due to a projected
weakness in prices amid anticipated
oversupply in mid-2018.
Original Source: The Star, 11 & 13 Apr 2018,
(Website: http://thestar.com.my) ã Star
Publications (M) Bhd 2018
Ethylene oxide
US chemical profile: ethylene oxide
The various uses of ethylene oxide
(EO) are outlined; the production of
ethylene glycols (EG) accounts for
around 75% of EO consumption while
the production of surfactants such as
alkylphenol ethoxylates and detergent
alcohol ethoxylates is the second-
largest sector. The narrow EO supply in
the USA is attributed to production
issues in 1Q 2018 and the
commencement of the peak season in
the downstream PET and surfactants
segments. The expected pick-up in
demand from the downstream
segments will run from Apr 2018 to Aug
2018. Furthermore, demand was
healthy during the winter season as the
weather boosted the downstream EG
market. In the USA, Sasol’s $11 bn
Lake Charles Chemicals Project
(LCCP) [‘Focus on Surfactants’, May
2017 & Feb 2015] is 81% complete and
is set to commence its initial units in 2H
2018. LCCP houses a 1.5 M tonnes/y
ethane cracker and six downstream
plants. The EO/EG line will have a
capacity of 250,000 tonnes/y of
monoethylene glycol (MEG) and
300,000 tonnes/y of crude EO and
related higher glycols. Cracker capacity
in the USA is anticipated to grow by
35% by 2019, with additional cracker
projects and expansions of current
June 2018
SURFACTANTS
crackers. Pemex’s EO output in Mexico
hit 218,000 tonnes in 2017, a decrease
from 294,000 tonnes in 2016. Mar 2018
EO contract prices dropped from Feb
2018 after a fall in the feedstock
ethylene contract for Mar 2018. The
Mar 2018 EO contract dropped month-
on-month by 1.40 cents/lb to 51.60-
61.10 cents/lb free on board (FOB). EO
supply is anticipated to be narrower by
the beginning of summer, influenced by
higher demand from the start of the
peak downstream surfactants season
and many EO/EG turnarounds.
Furthermore, downstream EG demand
is anticipated to witness a pick-up from
the PET market, which peaks during
Apr-Aug 2018. EO capacity in the USA
includes Shell Chemicals’ 715,000
tonnes/y capacity in Geismar, LA; Dow
Chemical’s 700,000 tonnes/y capacity
in Taft, LA; and Huntsman’s 580,000
tonnes/y capacity in Port Neches, TX.
Original Source: ICIS Chemical Business,
13-19 Apr 2018, 293 (14), 32 (Website: http://
www.icis.com) ã Reed Business Information
Limited 2018.
BASF lifts force majeure on US
purified EO products
BASF had imposed force majeure (FM)
on US purified ethylene oxide (EO)-
containing products due to an
unexpected equipment problem, leading
to the closure of its EO plant at
Geismar, LA, USA. However, at the
beginning of Apr the company lifted the
FM after successfully re-establishing
operations in all affected facilities.
Original Source: ICIS Chemical Business, 6-12
Apr 2018, 293 (13), 6 (Website: http://www.
icis.com) ã Reed Business Information
Limited 2018
SURFACTANTS
SABIC presented product portfolio
at IESD, Shanghai
SABIC presented its full fluids product
portfolio at IESD, China’s International
Exhibition for Surfactants and
Detergents, in Shanghai, 24-26 Apr
2018. SABIC Specialties provides high-
value, technologically advanced
chemical derivatives for use in a wide
range of applications. These products
find their way into industrial uses such
as speciality lubricants, crop protection,
and oil & gas applications. SABIC
showcased natural fatty alcohol (C12-
14) ethoxylate nonionic surfactants
(SABIC SABICOL L2/L3/L7/L9);
synthetic alcohol (isodecyl and
isotridecyl alcohol) ethoxylates (SABIC
SABICOL DA5/DA7/TA5/TA6/TA7/TA8/
TA9); castor oil ethoxylates (SABIC
SABICOL EL30/40/55); and
polyethyleneglycols (SAPEG200/300/
400/600).
Original Source: SABIC, 2018. Found on
SpecialChem Cosmetics and Personal Care
Innovation and Solutions, 24 Apr 2018, (Website:
http://www.specialchem4cosmetics.com)
ASSOCIATED
PRODUCTS
AkzoNobel Specialty Chemicals
signs cooperation agreement with
Ineos Nitriles to expand chelates
production
AkzoNobel Specialty Chemicals and
Ineos Nitriles have signed a long-term
cooperation agreement that will allow
AkzoNobel to expand its production of
biodegradable chelates, used in
detergents and other industries, utilizing
one of Ineos Nitriles’ chemical products.
The move will strengthen AkzoNobel
Specialty Chemicals’ leadership
position in the chelates business,
supporting customer growth as well as
improving both companies’
sustainability profiles. AkzoNobel
Specialty Chemicals will invest in
production facilities at Ineos’s site at
Cologne, Germany. Ineos Nitriles is the
world’s largest producer of acrylonitrile,
a key chemical building block used in
many industries. With this partnership,
AkzoNobel Specialty Chemicals will be
able to expand its chelates production
in Europe. Construction of the new
facilities at Cologne will start in late
2018 and completion is due in 2020.
Ineos will operate these new plants.
Original source: Ineos, 20 Apr 2018 (Website:
http://www.ineos.com) ã Ineos 2018
Lonza presents PreservationPlus at
in-cosmetics Global 2018
At in-cosmetics Global 2018, which
took place on 17-19 Apr 2018 in
Amsterdam, the Netherlands, Lonza
Consumer Product Ingredients unveiled
PreservationPlus, a new approach to
ensuring preservative efficacy optimized
3