Features | Chemicals | Petrochemicals

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Chemicals and Petrochemicals

Sector expected to grow from ICT trade

18th March 2022 Market research organisation Kenneth Research last month released a report which showed that the petrochemicals and polymers market is anticipated to grow, primarily on the growth in trade of information and communication technology (ICT) goods and services globally. The report emphasises the... →

Partnership plans circular plastics manufacturing Australia announced

18th March 2022 Global advanced plastic recycling technology company Plastic Energy and French fuels and chemicals technology supplier Axens are partnering with polyethylene manufacturer Qenos in the planning of a major circular plastics manufacturing capability in Australia. Plastic Energy, which specialises in... →

Sarens is the global leader and reference in crane rental services, heavy lifting, and engineered transport

10th March 2022 At Sarens Siba, we have the noble mission to be the reference in crane rental services, heavy lifting, and engineered transport for our clients in the region of Southern Africa. With state-of-the-art equipment and value engineering, we offer our clients creative and intelligent solutions to... →

New camera used in inspection project

By: Halima Frost 6th August 2021 In a first for Southern Africa and possibly the whole of Africa, rope access specialists Skyriders has used Zenith – a new confined-space inspection camera system – at a petrochemicals plant, in Gauteng, for inspection. The Zenith system is manufactured by US-based inspection technology developer... →

An image of two drone pilots, holding a drone and remote

SKY GUYS The project required the expertise of qualified drone pilots to assist in the inspection of the petrochemical tanks

Partnership notes first new chemicals success

6th August 2021 The partnership between carbon recycling technology company LanzaTech and multinational chemicals company BASF, who together aim to transform the carbon contained in industrial off-gases into valuable chemicals, has achieved a key first success. The companies announced in May that, with the help... →

An image of a LanzaTech installation capturing off gasses

ON-GASSES A key first success has been achieved by LanzaTech and BASF in using off gasses or emissions for a positive product

Petrochem giant uses tech for greener fuel

By: Halima Frost 6th August 2021 In April JSE-listed synthetic fuels and chemicals company Sasol announced it will work alongside a consortium comprising multinational chemical company Linde, renewable energy company Enertrag and investment company Navitas Holdings to bid in concept for the production of sustainable aviation... →

COOL COLAB The collaboration between Sasol and the LEN Consortium will see greener jet fuel and chemicals being produced using Sasol's Fischer-Tropsch technology

Unique thermowell design on offer

6th August 2021 Measuring instruments supplier Wika Instruments offers its ScrutonWell as an alternative to a standard thermowell. The ScrutonWell, manufactured by Wika, is typically used in applications commonly found in the chemicals and petrochemicals industry, where high flow velocity and aggressive process... →

A large silver screw like instrument used in a thermowell application

WELL WELL WELL The ScrutonWell offered by Wika can handle high flow velocity and aggressive process media

Control tower effectively monitors transport of chemicals

By: Halima Frost 6th August 2021 Specialist transport company Unitrans Supply Chain Solutions has noted a 42% improvement in driver awareness, while distracted driving incidents have decreased by 45%, since the launch of its centralised control tower in January 2017. The control tower manages Unitrans’ chemical, petrochemical,... →

An image of a large Unitrans truck bearing an abnormal loads sign

VANTAGE POINT Unitrans' new control tower uses new tech, trained staff and an aerial view of its yard to successfully dispatch its trucks throughout S. Africa

EDS Chemicals – Eco-friendly GP² degreaser

6th August 2021 GP² is an affordable, eco-friendly, non-toxic, non-flammable industrial degreaser and commercial sanitiser from chemicals manufacturer EDS Chemicals. “GP² is a product unlike any other in the marketplace and is here to make a marked difference in preserving and assisting in improving the state of... →

Wieland South Africa

3rd August 2021 Wieland South Africa (Pty) Ltd, situated in Edenvale, Johannesburg, South Africa produces high quality products according to DIN & BS specifications, accompanied by fast turnaround times. We boast two manufacturing divisions including: Finned Tubes: →

Petrochemicals plant demolition under way

By: Darren Parker 12th March 2021 Demolition contractor Jet Demolition is wrapping up a petrochemical demolition project valued at about R20-million. Jet Demolition project manager André Botes tells Engineering News that the project, which started in September last year, was a welcome relief from an extremely challenging 2020. →

COLD CUTS Jet Demolition holds a number of highly specialised cold-cutting demolition tools and attachments for its fleet of demolition machines.

Compounder adds new plant capacity

By: Darren Parker 12th March 2021 Speciality compound producer Continental Engineering Compounds has invested R25-million in building a new specialised production line at its Westmead factory, in KwaZulu-Natal. The added capacity will help the company to increase supply of locally manufactured compounds used for packaging,... →

EXTRA, EXTRA The capacity expansion will assist in terms of local supply to the industrial and automotive sectors

Production plant upgrade heralds next-gen coolant

By: Darren Parker 12th March 2021 Local petroleum and petrochemical products manufacturer African Oil Blending Corporation (AOBC) has secured about R130-million to repurpose and upgrade its Harrismith lubricant blending production facilities, in the Free State, pivoting to manufacture water-based and monoethylene glycol- (MEG-)... →

COOL STUFF
South Africa is a good location for water-based coolants because ambient temperatures seldom drop below freezing point

Photo by Adobe
COOL STUFF South Africa is a good location for water-based coolants because ambient temperatures seldom drop below freezing point

Local PVC industry taking strain despite high demand

By: Darren Parker 12th March 2021 There is very strong demand for polyvinyl chloride (PVC) in South Africa and the rest of Africa, owing to major water, gas and telecommunication infrastructure projects planned across the continent, but low supply and high prices are hindering industry sustainability, says South African Vinyls... →

PRECARIOUS PVC POSITION Sava calls for reduced import tariffs, more local procurement and more reliable service delivery from utilities

Stricter compliance regulations for chemical disinfectants

By: Theresa Bhowan-Rajah 7th August 2020 The Covid-19 pandemic has resulted in a dramatic increase in the demand for disinfectants to help mitigate the spread of the virus, which, in turn, has prompted the need for strict compliance in industrial and domestic cleaning companies and chemical cleaning suppliers. →

EMMA CORDER Consultations determine which chemicals would best suit a company’s requirements and assists in providing a methodology that would best suit the application of these products

Company goes digital to curb challenges

By: Theresa Bhowan-Rajah 7th August 2020 An increasingly competitive sphere, and a large choice of partners and customers are two of the chemicals industry’s greatest challenges. Specialised chemicals company BASF aims to lead in digital transformation in the chemicals industry to increase the efficiency and effectiveness of its... →

DALE WALKER The “new normal” that has been imposed by Covid-19 on the globe, has allowed for radical transformation in the way that the company does business

Project completed using rope access

By: Theresa Bhowan-Rajah 7th August 2020 Rope access specialist Skyriders completed the removal of a layer of cementitious fireproofing and insulating material from a spherical gas storage tank at a petrochemicals producer, in Mpumalanga, during the first quarter of 2020. →

SAFELY SOARING Rope access was deemed the safest option, as the fireproofing was not stable enough to allow for other more traditional means of access to get close to the gas storage tank

Association addresses Covid-19 challenges

7th August 2020 The industry body representing the local vinyls industry Southern African Vinyls Association (SAVA) hosted a virtual annual general meeting in May. Speaking about the impact of Covid-19 on the polyvinyl chloride (PVC) industry, SAVA chairperson George Diamond said the PVC industry globally is... →

Company reaches new heights with award

By: Cameron Mackay 13th March 2020 Height management solutions providers Skyriders received an award from a major petrochemicals producer in December last year for achieving significant reductions in its maintenance costs and boosting health and safety at one of the producer’s refineries, in Mpumalanga. The award was for a... →

REACHING NEW HEIGHTS Skyriders created a methodology and risk assessments for this maintenance project, including a trial run finished last October, and the actual maintenance undertaking in November

Specialised Piping Company

13th March 2020 SPC is the black empowerment entity, joint venture of Global Empowerment fund together with Process Pipe with branches in Johannesburg, Durban and Cape Town, Specialised Piping Company (SPC) has established a national footprint as a whole-saler and retailer of carbon and mild steel pipe fittings... →

Process Pipe

13th March 2020 With branches in Johannesburg, Durban and Cape Town, Process Pipe CAB has established a national footprint as a wholesaler and retailer of carbon and mild steel pipe fittings and flanges. Process Pipe CAB prioritises distribution and customer service across Southern Africa. Its product range... →

Supplier offers complete solution to university

By: Cameron Mackay 13th March 2020 Local cleaning chemicals supplier Industroclean’s ability to provide holistic cleaning solutions enables it to offer the University of Cape Town (UCT) a one-stop-shop cleaning chemicals solution. Industroclean MD Emma Corder confirms that the company began supplying its solutions to UCT... →

CLEANING VARIATION While above the floor cleaning tasks remain similar, variations in floor types require different products and methodologies for maintenance or restoration

Consultancy predicts potential downcycle for petrochemicals industry

13th March 2020 Chemicals consultancy group Wood Mackenzie predicts the start of a downcycle in China’s petrochemicals industry. A supply overhang has hit the country’s paraxylene (PX) market, with olefins and polyolefins markets almost certain to follow. →

TURBULENT MARKETS

Weak global economic growth, the US-China trade war, a decrease in automobile production and a booming electronic-commerce industry influenced China’s polyolefins market last year

Photo by Bloomberg
TURBULENT MARKETS Weak global economic growth, the US-China trade war, a decrease in automobile production and a booming electronic-commerce industry influenced China’s polyolefins market last year

Carbon storage vital to chemicals projects

By: Cameron Mackay 13th March 2020 With the global drive to meet climate targets and mitigate the devastating effects of climate change, carbon capture and storage (CCS) is a vital emissions reduction technology for the chemicals and petrochemicals industry, says international think-tank Global CCS Institute advocacy and... →

DECARBONISING INDUSTRY

Efforts from government and industry are needed to address carbon emissions from chemical and petrochemical production and the use and disposal of chemical products

Photo by Bloomberg
DECARBONISING INDUSTRY Efforts from government and industry are needed to address carbon emissions from chemical and petrochemical production and the use and disposal of chemical products

Company advances health and safety in petrochemicals industry

31st May 2019 Cold-cutting techniques developed by demolition contractor Jet Demolition have introduced a new benchmark for health and safety in the petrochemicals industry - a highly volatile and hazardous work environment. →

Sector shows decline despite strong market growth

By: Mamaili Mamaila 31st May 2019 Although the local chemicals sector has recently been characterised by strong market growth, it has shown a consistently weak performance, with its contribution to total manufacturing output having declined significantly over the past ten years, says the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI)... →

RAW MATERIALS
Domestic chemical firms face multiple challenges such as access to appropriately priced feedstock, as well as large volumes of raw chemical materials that continue to be imported and are subject to exchange rate fluctuations

Photo by Bloomberg
RAW MATERIALS Domestic chemical firms face multiple challenges such as access to appropriately priced feedstock, as well as large volumes of raw chemical materials that continue to be imported and are subject to exchange rate fluctuations

Imported chemicals hamper growth of sector

By: Mamaili Mamaila 31st May 2019 The impact of imported chemicals from countries such as China and India, has had a major detrimental impact on the local chemicals sector, says specialty chemicals supplier, Active Chemicals and Solutions director David Grimsley. “Similar to the textiles and retail food industries, where the... →

Photo by Bloomberg
UNINSPIRED There is a low motivation to build new factories as the chemicals supplier market is shrinking

Valves supplier to launch new products

By: Mamaili Mamaila 31st May 2019 South African thermoplastic valves supplier Astore Keymak is engaged in research and development activities with its suppliers to launch new FIP industrial valves for chemical applications every second year. “For aggressive chemical applications, such as sulphuric acids and hydrochloric acids,... →

HIGHLY COMMITTED Astore Keymak remains committed to technology and solutions for the chemical, petrochemicals and industrial space

Bigger staff complements company’s growth strategy

By: Mamaili Mamaila 31st May 2019 Multinational specialty chemicals producer Clariant hired 2 142 new employees in 2018 – an increase of 8%, compared with that of the previous year – to support its profitable growth strategy. The ratio of 689 women and 1 453 men is also more equal than that of 2017. →

JONATHAN CHETTY The way in which specialist chemicals companies and their clients innovate, collaborate and operate does not “change overnight”

Companies collaborate for maintenance work at petrochem provider

By: Mamaili Mamaila 31st May 2019 Industrial rope-access company Skyriders Access Specialists collaborated with engineering consultants SSA Acoustic and Specialised Inspections to conduct maintenance work at one of South Africa’s leading petrochemical manufacturers. →

Energy outlook sees GDP doubling by 2040

8th March 2019 With the world’s gross domestic product (GDP) likely to double by 2040 driven by increasing prosperity in fast-growing developing economies, multinational oil and gas company BP states that in the evolving energy transition scenario, this improvement in living standards causes energy demand to... →

Waipec focuses more on sub-Saharan Africa

By: Thabi Shomolekae 8th March 2019 The third West African International Petroleum Exhibition and Conference (Waipec) was a success, bringing sub-Saharan African companies together to learn from one another about best practices to move the industry forward and how to survive in the competitive landscape, says Petroleum Technology... →

BANK ANTHONY OKOROAFOR Gas should be an opportunity to create a viable economy and a vibrant way of growing Nigeria’s gross domestic product

Collision-resistant drone deployed on roof replacement project

8th March 2019 The Skyriders Elios Sky Eye confined-space inspection technology from industrial rope access company Skyriders Access Specialists was recently deployed with the collision-resistant drone used on a roof-replacement project for a major petrochemicals client, in conjunction with conducting... →

REACHING HEIGHTS Technicians used rope access to reach the 14-m-high roof, and carried out UT wall-thickness measurement on select steel members

Companies sign share purchase agreement worth $350-million

8th March 2019 Energy producer Chevron, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Chevron Corporation, has announced that it has signed a share purchase agreement with petroleum products marketer and refiner Petrobras America (Petrobras) to acquire all the outstanding shares and equity interests of refinery company Pasadena... →

CHEVRON OIL REFINERY A refinery with a capacity to process about 110 000 bbl/d of light crude

Gas discovery potential indicator of more local resources

By: Thabi Shomolekae 8th March 2019 A significant gas condensate discovery, made by petroleum company Total South Africa, shows there are potentially more petroleum resources available in South Africa, which will definitely create more exploration interest, says Total South Africa exploration and production MD Adewale Fayemi. This... →

GAME CHANGER Brulpadda was drilled in a challenging deep-water environment

Growth boosts fuel distributor

By: Thabi Shomolekae 8th March 2019 The 100-million litres supplied to logistics, construction and mining companies in 2017 compared to the 151-million supplied in 2018, shows a significant growth of 51%, which fuel distributor Advent Oil MD Lebo Mbethe hopes will serve as a catalyst for the business in 2019. She attributes this... →

GROWTH IN NUMBERS Hunger for taking up new changes in a demanding market will catalyse growth for Advent Oil

Hydrogen essential for chemicals sector

8th March 2019 With its range of industrial uses and applications, hydrogen is a very importantmolecule essential in many sectors such as chemicals, refining and metallurgical applications, as well as glass and electronics manufacturing. When it comes to the bulk manufacturing of hydrogen, there are adequate,... →

IAN FRASER There are adequate, cost-effective solutions for generating high-volume hydrogen locally available

Pumps range eliminates leakage of corrosive chemicals

By: Thabi Shomolekae 8th March 2019 Using the Verdermag pump range in the chemicals and petrochemicals industries eliminates leakage of corrosive and hazardous chemicals, as it is an encapsulated pump and therefore leak-free, states pump manufacturer Verder Pumps South Africa sales engineer Rob Shaw. The Verdermag centrifugal pump... →

ONE OF A KIND Vedermag is the only magnetic drive pump that can handle up to 20% solids

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