Processing news briefs, June 21

June 21, 2000
BP Amoco PLC � OneChem � CCL Oil � Mangistaumunaigaz


Kazakhstan's 163,000 b/d Pavlodar refinery has suspended operations temporarily, said Aleksandr Ryumkin, deputy head of the Pavlodar regional administration. The official reason for the shutdown is maintenance, but Ryumkin said that the real cause was the conflict between the owner of the refinery, CCL Oil, and Mangistaumunaigaz. In 1999, the bulk of the refinery's assets, which has been held in concession by CCL Oil since March 1997, were transferred to Mangistaumunaigaz to repay debts. Ryumkin noted, however, that Mangistaumunaigaz has yet to receive its property. The refinery is expected to restart June 25.

OneChem formally launched its new application service provider (ASP) e-commerce platform Tuesday. The Ridgefield, Conn.-based company says its platform is the first ASP for the chemical industry, for which it is designed to facilitate term-contract business and the supply-chain process. Business was already being conducted on the site prior to the official launch, which was done during a live global webcast. The company says it has designed core software applications to integrate customers' supply chains, streamline purchases, speed order entry processes, and improve inventory management. Customers include Vulcan Chemicals, Grupo Polak, Old World Industries, Koch Chemicals, Pluess-Staufer AG, Omya, PT Lautan Luas Tbk, and UBE America Inc.

BP Amoco PLC said tests of its new ultralow-sulfur diesel fuel on buses, tractor trailer trucks, and gasoline tanker trucks showed air emissions decreased by more than 90% when teamed with catalytic exhaust filters. The test, begun by ARCO last fall before its acquisition by BP Amoco, included more than 180 urban commercial vehicles in Southern California.