Battery and critical raw‑material resilience advanced on multiple fronts. DuPont launched an end‑to‑end Direct Lithium Extraction portfolio. Europe backed circular refining via the LiSA consortium. POSCO HOLDINGS detailed a ‘Triple‑core’ expansion into lithium and strategic resources. Eni took a 25% stake in the Black Giant lithium project in Chile using DLE. Europe also moved to onshore antimony with an antimony refinery at ZILS – Sines.
SAF pathways diversified. Axens launched the ERA (Ethanol to Refuel Aviation) project using JETANOL™, and broadened routes by acquiring Lurgi Methanol‑to‑Propylene (MTP) technology for MTJ options. Feedstock assurance advanced through Acelen Renewables and Bunge’s five‑year supply agreement for 300,000 metric tons of certified soybean oil. Refinery decarbonization and future SAF integration were supported by a €450m EIB loan for OMV’s green hydrogen production facility in Bruck an der Leitha.
Long‑term gas flexibility expanded. ADNOC launched an integrated LNG marketing and trading platform and signed a 15‑year Sales and Purchase Agreement with INPEX for Ruwais LNG. XRG secured an additional 7.6% equity interest in Trains 4 and 5 of the Rio Grande LNG project. TotalEnergies shipped the first cargo from ECA LNG Phase 1 to Asia, while SONATRACH delivered its first liquified natural gas supply to Germany.
Producers added regional chemical capacity and integration. Oxea approved a capacity expansion at its Bay City, Texas production site, supported by Air Liquide’s new high‑efficiency Partial Oxidation unit at Oxea’s Bay City site. ICIG is building a two‑site European platform for alkoxide supply. Covestro completed the acquisition of former Vencorex production sites for HDI derivatives. Life‑science inputs were regionalized via Brenntag’s exclusive responsibility for distribution of Evonik REXIM GMP‑grade amino acids across most of Europe. Yara agreed to buy Gulf Coast Ammonia’s Texas City production facility.
Refining and logistics reinforced continuity. Rompetrol validated the Petromidia cogeneration plant’s ability to operate in island mode and boosted yields with an Advanced Process Control digital process control system. Algeria advanced water security with a seawater desalination plant in the Ben M’Hidi borough of Skikda. Spain’s Port of Huelva progressed the Muelle Sur terminal at the Port of Huelva for renewable‑fuel logistics. Aurubis opened the Complex Recycling Hamburg plant to process strategic metal streams.
Frameworks to protect and decarbonize supply chains evolved. The EU opened an antidumping investigation into imports of polyether polyols from China, while INEOS’ Project ONE in Antwerp figured in calls for stronger industrial support. A €2.5 billion disbursement from the Modernisation Fund and an EU target of 50 million tonnes per year of CO₂ injection capacity by 2030 supported decarbonization. Corporate integration progressed via the proposed all‑stock merger of equals to form OlinHuntsman.
