News and industry insights on Commodity chemicals, such as acids, alkalis, and salts, used as building blocks in various industries.
TA’ZIZ Methanol Company reached financing for a world‑scale unit at Al Ruwais. TA’ZIZ also signed long‑term offtake, feedstock and sales agreements to secure gas and product flows as its chemicals zone targets 2028 completion. In the US, INEOS Acetyls and Sandpiper Chemicals plan a 1.1 MTPA low‑carbon methanol plant in Texas City.
The European Commission adopted a Fertiliser Action Plan to bolster domestic supply, circularity and decarbonisation. In Brazil, Petrobras’ Fafen‑BA resumed operations. Araucária Nitrogenados (Ansa) restarted urea, lifting local availability. In the US, MAIRE’s Nextchem received licensing and PDP for a urea‑to‑DEF plant, reflecting growing diesel‑aftertreatment demand.
Clariant’s FAMAX catalysts improved yields and reduced pressure drop at Yihua’s formaldehyde units, alongside EnviCat VOC control. Sweden advanced phosphorus and rare‑earth recovery from iron‑ore residuals with the environmental permit for LKAB’s planned Industrial Park in Luleå. China’s Songyuan Hydrogen Energy Industrial Park progressed phase two with protective coatings for ammonia and methanol assets.
BASF agreed to sell its silicates business to PQ. It also launched the CoreShift program to simplify operations and reduce fixed costs across the core portfolio by 2029. In Japan, Asahi Kasei, Mitsui Chemicals and Mitsubishi Chemical advanced plans to consolidate western‑Japan ethylene production at Osaka for efficiency and decarbonisation.
Shipping demand for low‑carbon alcohol fuels advanced: Rotterdam’s first ethanol bunkering accompanied biomethanol on a methanol‑capable container vessel. Perpetual Next appointed Clarksons as preferred broker for maritime biomethanol and selected storage and outbound delivery at the Delfzijl biomethanol facility.
