Operational Changes and Investments news (page 19)

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  13 May 2026

  Avantium sells Ray Technology IP to UPM

  Sale transfers Ray Technology patents for bio-based MEG/MPG (up to end‑2023). Seller refocuses on FDCA/PEF; €2.7M proceeds used to repay debt (€2.0M) and dismantle pilot (€0.7M).
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  12 May 2026

  SPIE partners with SkyNRG on DSL-01 SAF plant in Delfzijl

  100,000 t/yr SAF plus 35,000 t/yr sustainable by‑products; CO₂ savings up to 80%; construction started and operation expected mid‑2028.
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  12 May 2026

  Messer Belgium builds sustainable air separation plant at North Sea Port

  €60M investment creates 30 jobs to produce oxygen, nitrogen and argon; construction starts mid‑May, commissioning by 2028, CO2‑free operation using green electricity; serves Lille‑Rotterdam axis
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  12 May 2026

  EWE awards Bilfinger contract for Emden hydrogen plant

  Final major contract fixes cost and planning for a 320 MW electrolyser, enabling long-term green-hydrogen supply deals. First production slated late 2027; stable regulation needed.
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  12 May 2026

  Asahi Kasei to Realign Material Supply by FY2030

  Streamline Mizushima Works by FY2030; no immediate supply impact. Exiting low-margin derivative businesses (¥116.2bn 2025) to boost margins, free capital for pharma, healthcare, homes, electronics.
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  12 May 2026

  PETRONAS LNG signs 20-year charter with MISC for five LNG carriers

  174,000-cbm newbuild LNG vessels to be built in Shanghai, delivery 2029–2030; will use XDF2.1 propulsion, shaft generators and onboard reliquefaction; project and ship management arranged.

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  12 May 2026

  Asahi Kasei, Mitsui Chemicals and Mitsubishi Chemical agree 45/45/10 equity split for western Japan ethylene JV

  Plan to integrate western Japan ethylene assets: close Mizushima plant by 2030 and consolidate operations at a single site to decarbonize, optimize capacity and strengthen competitiveness.
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  11 May 2026

  Sunfire to install SOEC test facility at BASF’s Industriepark Lausitz, Schwarzheide

  Test plant will validate high‑temperature SOEC electrolysis under industrial conditions to advance low‑cost green hydrogen deployment for large industrial projects.
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  11 May 2026

  Petrobras posts R$32.7 billion net profit in 1Q26

  Net profit R$32.7bn; adjusted EBITDA R$59.6bn; investments R$26.8bn. Production and refining records supported cash generation and higher derivatives output.
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  11 May 2026

  Sasol to restart Augusta ISOSIV paraffin unit

  Restart responds to constrained n‑Paraffin supply for LAB; preparatory work starts soon and beneficial operation is expected in H2 2026, subject to approvals.
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  11 May 2026

  Ecovyst adds $100M Term Loan B to fund INEOS Calabrian sulfur business acquisition

  Plans a $100M Term Loan B add-on to finance acquisition of INEOS’s Calabrian sulfur dioxide and related sulfur derivatives business; close targeted end-Q2 2026 with ~2x net leverage.
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  11 May 2026

  POSCO Holdings invests USD 765m for 30% stake in Australian lithium JV with Mineral Resources

  Secures rights to 30% of spodumene concentrate from Wodgina and Mt. Marion; aims to link upstream mining supply with downstream processing and capture dividend income.
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  11 May 2026

  Covestro to install Dormagen steam compressor, cutting Germany energy use 2%

  Heat-pump upgrade will save ~40,000 t CO2/yr, cut low three-digit GWh energy use; investment low double-digit million euros; expected operation mid-2027.
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  11 May 2026

  BASF Agricultural Solutions opens BioHub fermentation plant in Ludwigshafen

  High double‑digit €m investment started commercial fermentation of biological crop actives (B. amyloliquefaciens, P. coprobium), boosting production flexibility and supply resilience.
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  11 May 2026

  Aurubis reports stronger Q2 and raises full-year forecast

  Q2 operating EBT €121m (+15% q/q); H1 EBT €226m; H1 EBITDA €351m (+3%). Net cash flow €161m, down on higher inventories. ROCE 8.1% as €1.7bn projects near completion; new recycling plants ramping up.
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  11 May 2026

  Sinopec’s first deep coal‑seam gas well surpasses 50 million m³ cumulative production

  First deep coal-seam gas risk-exploration well: >50M m³ cumulative, 27,000 m³/day. Deployed 2022, producing since 2023; data-driven optimization and fluid/sand/fines control sustain stable production.
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  11 May 2026

  Shanghai Petrochemical commissions phase‑one of 30,000‑t large‑tow carbon fiber project — China’s largest 48K single‑line

  Phase-one (2 lines) of a 30,000-t large-tow carbon-fiber project in Ordos began production. Single-line >3,000 t (48K); +50% capacity, 188-day build, >60% green power
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  9 May 2026

  Uniper demolishes Scholven towers D & E for H2-ready CCGT

  Two 114 m cooling towers were demolished at 11:00; ~15,000 t of concrete will be recycled for site backfill. Demolition used a coordinated safety plan; no resident evacuations.
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  8 May 2026

  Petrobras RNEST sets April diesel S‑10 record — 385 million L

  Upgrades (2025 revamp) raised capacity to 130 kb/d, lifting refined‑fuel output ~60% y/y; R$12bn to finish train‑2 to reach 260 kb/d by 2029, boosting energy security and cutting imports.
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  8 May 2026

  INA, MOL and Syrian Petroleum Company discuss reactivating INA’s Syria operations

  Three-day talks assessed restarting oil and gas operations. Joint experts will evaluate technical, operational, commercial and regulatory prerequisites and set a reactivation roadmap.
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  8 May 2026

  Clariant Q1 2026: Resilient performance amid Middle East conflict

  Q1 sales down 2% (CHF918m); EBITDA margin fell to 17.5% (-130bp). Free cash-flow conversion rose to 54%. CHF80m savings program on track; 2026 guidance unchanged amid conflict
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  8 May 2026

  MOL Group Q1 2026: USD 212m profit amid supply disruptions and price controls

  Higher hydrocarbon prices lifted upstream; production 95.5 mboepd. Downstream hit by lower refining volumes and feedstock scarcity; Rijeka delayed coker opened. Consumer services and circulars rose.
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  8 May 2026

  Evonik Q1: €475m adjusted EBITDA, outlook confirmed

  Q1 sales fell 9% to €3.43bn; volumes -2%, prices -1%; margin down to 13.9%; net income halved to €125m; Q2 aided by customer pre‑buying; CFO change and 1,000 job cuts planned
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  7 May 2026

  Borouge expands UAE logistics network with Gulftainer and Etihad Rail partnerships

  Agreements secure East Coast export access, streamline inland logistics, and create an integrated rail corridor from Ruwais to ports—boosting multimodal resilience, predictability and lower emissions.
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  7 May 2026

  Diamond Infrastructure Solutions issues RFQ for Freeport power and steam modernization

  RFQ seeks developers to replace two legacy cogeneration plants at Freeport with advanced baseload power and steam facilities (operational ~2032); proposals due June 25, 2026.
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  7 May 2026

  Moeve Q1 2026 Clean CCS EBITDA €506m, ramps Spain energy-transition capex

  Q1 net income €147m; capex €272m (69% to energy transition); operating cash flow €283m; FID for 300MW Andalusian green hydrogen; non-binding talks with Galp; net debt €2.56bn (1.6x).
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  7 May 2026

  Indaver pauses processing of highly PFAS-contaminated waste

  Authorities demand extra measurements and monitoring after limited historical soil contamination; four PFAS streams will be suspended while datasets and remediation checks are expanded.
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  7 May 2026

  EU awards €1.09bn to nine hydrogen projects via European Hydrogen Bank

  Selected projects across seven EEA countries will add ~1.1 GW electrolyser capacity, produce >1.3 Mt H2 over 10 years, avoid ~9 Mt CO2e; premiums €0.57–€3.49/kg; Spain/Germany add €1.7bn
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  7 May 2026

  SPIE Joins Consortium to Build PanTera Actinium‑225 Production Facility in Mol

  Consortium to build facility boosting production of a cancer radioisotope; scope includes HVAC, sanitation and technical gases. Construction started; equipment integration planned late 2026.
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  7 May 2026

  Eni’s Geliga‑1 DST confirms ~200 MMSCFD gas and 10,000 bpd condensate offshore Indonesia

  Large Miocene gas/condensate discovery in Kutei Basin (~5 Tcf gas, 300mmbbl condensate); adjacent Gula adds ~2 Tcf. POD to fast‑track a third hub; studies assess adding Bontang LNG capacity