Processing news briefs, Nov. 7
Crown Central Petroleum Corp., Baltimore, and the Texas Natural Resource Conservation Commission have settled a case involving emission events at Crown's Pasadena, Tex., refinery from 1995 to 1998, said Crown.
Praxair Inc., Danbury, Conn. plans to build a pair of 200 MMcfd hydrogen plants to serve refineries on its 300-mile Gulf Coast hydrogen pipeline system. Completion is expected in late 2003. Praxair said hydrogen demand for refining has grown 10-15%/year in the past 5 years and that trend is expected to continue.
Sunoco Inc. agreed to assume responsibility for general management, sales, and support functions of Epsilon Products Co., Marcus Hook, Pa. Epsilon is a joint venture of Sunoco and BAR-L Inc., which manufactures polypropylene products. Epsilon will continue as a distinct legal entity for ownership purposes.
Sinopec Corp., Shell China BV, and Shell (China) Ltd. signed a joint venture contract for a $136 million coal gasification project in Yueyang, Hunan province. The 50:50 Sinopec-Shell joint venture will build a coal gasification plant that can process 2,000 tons/day of coal, using Shell's technology to convert coal into synthetic gas. The gas will be used as feedstock for a fertilizer plant owned by a Sinopec branch. Construction is expected to begin in the first quarter next year, and the plant should come on stream in 2004.
Kværner ASA said it was awarded two contracts for gas processing facilities worth a combined $36.5 million. Westcoast Energy Inc., Vancouver, awarded the Anglo-Norwegian contractor a $34 million deal for the engineering, design, fabrication, construction, and commissioning of a gas processing facility. Petroleos de Venezuela SA awarded Kværner a $2.5 million contract for a CO2 membrane gas removal unit for its Bitor field.