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Knowledge for the
Sulphuric Acid Industry Introduction |
Sulphuric Acid - NEWS - 2005
Villagers’ demand: close GFL plant December 15, 2005 - Nathkuva (Halol), India - Following a recent leakage of oleum from the Gujarat Fluorochemicals Limited (GFL) plant manufacturing lethal Hydro Fluoro Carbon (HFC) gases, the plant based in Ranjitnagar village of Goghamba taluka, is in the eye of a massive law and order storm. A week ago, a delegation from Nathkuva village of Goghamba Taluka in the Panchmahals petitioned before the Godhra Collector that the authorities should either shut the plant or move the GFL factory from the vicinity of human settlement. The petition, urging the Collector to take action within 10 days, comes after the villagers said that during the recent leakage they got little or no help from either the company officials or the district authorities. The morning after the leakage of oleum from a tanker outside the GFL plant compound, Nathkuva villagers attacked the plant and injured 13 workers. According to villagers, company guards shot three rounds at them before the police came to intervene. After the incident, about 392 people consisting mostly of women and children from the village reported sick at the Ranjitnagar public health centre after inhaling sulphuric acid fumes produced by oleum. Canada wins small battle on trade front December 7, 2005 - Canada won a small but
significant battle on the trade front Wednesday as the U.S. International Trade Commission
ruled that the U.S. industry had not suffered any damage from Canadian imports of liquid
sulphur dioxide. The ruling means that the important industrial chemical can be
exported to the United States once again without the threat of anti-dumping duties.
In the sulphur dioxide case, Chemtrade Logistics Income Fund said the ITC
voted 5 to 1 there was "no reasonable indication" that U.S. industry had been
"materially injured or threatened with material injury" by imports of the
chemical. As a result, the file will be closed. Big River Zinc's plant in Sauget will
be closed December 2, 2005 Bateman Awarded License for NORAM's Sulphuric Acid Technology November 18, 2005 - Bateman Engineering N.V.
("Bateman") a leading engineering, contracting and • Proprietary and proven
technology, including Noram's advanced gas/gas This technology complements and extends
Bateman's capability to serve the November 17, 2005 - PLYMOUTH, Minn., The Mosaic
Company announced today that it plans to temporarily reduce fertilizer production at
several of its North American locations due to increased raw material costs and a slowdown
in domestic and offshore demand. Phosphate production at Mosaic's Florida and
Louisiana manufacturing operations will be reduced by approximately 400,000 to 600,000
tonnes over the next four to six months. Potash output will be reduced by up to
200,000 tonnes during downtime periods in the upcoming holiday season. Mosaic plans
to operate its Green Bay, Florida phosphate fertilizer plant at about one-half of its
operating capacity through April 2006 and further plans to reduce phosphate fertilizer
production at its Faustina and Uncle Sam, Louisiana plants by about fifty percent in
November and December. In addition, Mosaic's ammonia plant at Faustina, which has
been idled since early October, will restart at full production rates because it is more
cost efficient to produce ammonia in light of recent price increases for this key raw
material in the production of phosphate fertilizers. As a result of Mosaic's lower
phosphate fertilizer production, Mosaic also plans to cut back phosphate rock mining
operations in Florida to reduce its raw material inventories. "Following strong summer export activity,
the global fertilizer market has cooled off a bit this fall," stated Fritz Corrigan,
President and Chief Executive Officer of Mosaic. "We are reducing phosphate
production because of the margin squeeze caused by another spike in raw material costs,
including unacceptably high ammonia and sulfur costs, and lower than expected DAP sales to
customers in North America and export markets," said Corrigan. "High energy and
fertilizer prices have created an uncertain environment and caused some customers to delay
purchases. While we expect overall demand to drop slightly this year, we are confident
that farmers will apply essential crop nutrients when planting time rolls around next
Spring," added Corrigan. "It's simply not prudent for us to continue production
at current rates given the high costs of raw materials and build unacceptable levels of
inventory and risk if customers are delaying decisions to purchase fertilizer today.
Mosaic needs to operate in a fiscally responsible manner in the current environment by
reducing our phosphate and potash production to lower inventory levels, take on less risk,
and balance our supply to meet current purchasing activity," said Corrigan. Citizens File Fifth Suit Against Chemical Plant October 18, 2005 - Ashland, Kentucky - A fifth
federal lawsuit against DuPont concerning a leak at a plant in Wurtland more than a year
ago has been filed in US District Court in Ashland. The suit is similar to the four
others in that it alleges the company was negligent when a pipe at the Wurtland facility
ruptured. U.S. Announces Major Clean Air Act Settlement With Lucite International October 17, 2005 - Washington - The Justice Department and the Environmental Protection Agency have reached a major Clean Air Act (CAA) settlement with Lucite International, Inc. (Lucite) requiring the chemical manufacturer to install pollution controls on three emission sources at its Memphis, Tennessee plant, which will eliminate 6,500 tons of pollution each year. Under the terms of the settlement announced today, Lucite will install an estimated $16 million worth of new pollution controls, in addition to paying a civil penalty of $1.8 million and performing a supplemental environmental project worth $1.3 million. The federal government alleged that the company violated CAA provisions of the New Source Performance Standards (NSPS), the National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants (NESHAPs), and the Protection of Stratospheric Ozone. Today's settlement resolves allegations that the company violated the CAA at its Memphis facility. "The settlement announced today demonstrates our commitment to aggressively enforcing the laws that protect our environment and our citizens," said Kelly A. Johnson, Acting Assistant Attorney General for the Justice Department's Environment and Natural Resources Division. "This agreement will significantly improve the air quality for the people of Tennessee." Lucite will install a $16 million dual absorption control system on its Sulfuric Acid Regeneration Unit, which will result in the elimination of approximately 2,500 tons of sulfur dioxide (SO2) emissions per year, to comply with NSPS standards. In addition, Lucite will implement a supplemental environmental project to reroute emissions from two other plant emission sources. This will result in a 90 percent reduction of previously permitted emissions from these sources. Implementation of this project will cost Lucite approximately $1.3 million. Rhodia Completes Two Divestitures October 10, 2005 - Rhodia today announced the finalization of two divestitures initiated during the second quarter 2005: - The sale of its European cartridge silicone sealants business to Henkel, following the agreement signed August 8 ; - The sale of its phosphates and sulfuric acid manufacturing businesses at its site in Rieme to Misa Inc., following the agreement signed September 2. These divestments form part of the divestiture of non strategic activities being undertaken by the Group with a view to refocusing its business portfolio. Finalization of the sale to Henkel of its European cartridge silicone sealants business. Following the announcement on August 8 of an agreement to sell its European cartridge silicone sealants business to Henkel, Rhodia today announced the sale has been completed. This business, which generated sales of more than 50 million euros in 2004, comprises the production and distribution in Europe of a wide range of silicone sealants sold in cartridge form for the construction and Do-It-Yourself (DIY) markets. The Rhodia Group will continue, through its Silcea Enterprise, to develop and manufacture core intermediates as well as bulk silicone sealants and market them in Europe and the rest of the world. Finalization of the sale to Misa of its phosphates and sulfuric acid manufacturing businesses in Rieme. Following the announcement on September 2 of an agreement to sell its phosphates and sulfuric acid manufacturing businesses at its site in Rieme (Belgium) to Misa Inc., Rhodia today announced the sale has been completed. This transaction marks a further step in Rhodia's withdrawal from the phosphates area. Outokumpu Technology to deliver a new copper plant to China September 22, 2005 – Finland - Outokumpu
Technology has been awarded a contract by YangguXiangguang Copper Company for a
greenfield copper production plant to be built in Yanggu county in Shangdong province,
China. The contract value exceeds EUR 50 million. Cytec Says Katrina Damages Chemicals
Plant September 2, 2005 - WEST PATERSON, N.J. - Cytec
Industries Inc. said Hurricane Katrina's breakneck winds damaged its Fortier chemicals
plant, and knocked out power there. Cytec said it doesn't know when operations will
resume. The Building Block Chemicals plant, housed outside New Orleans, is being
powered only by emergency generators. A recovery team is at the site taking stock of the
damage and contacting suppliers "to re-establish the customer supply chain as soon as
possible," Cytec said. "We have declared force majeure on supply
obligations for acrylonitrile, aminonitrile and sulfuric acid manufactured at the
site," the company said. Rhodia Announces Sale of Sulfuric Acid
Business September 2, 2005 - Rhodia announced Friday the sale of its phosphates and sulfuric acid manufacturing businesses in Rieme, Belgium to Misa, a unit of Uganda's Madhvani International. This transaction, is a further step in Rhodia's withdrawal from the phosphates area and forms part of the divestiture of non-strategic activities being undertaken by the group with a view to consolidating its business portfolio. Chemtrade receives statement of claim
from Marsulex August 15, 2005, TORONTO, Ontario - Chemtrade
Logistics Income Fund and Chemtrade Logistics Inc. announced today that it has been served
with a statement of claim from Marsulex Inc. Marsulex has claimed that Chemtrade
breached its non-competition agreement with Marsulex dated July 18, 2001 by acquiring Peak
Chemical, LLC and Peak Sulfur, Inc. (the "Peak Acquisition"). Marsulex also
claims that Chemtrade is in breach of a services agreement with Marsulex in respect of
pooling certain insurance requirements. Marsulex is seeking damages for the alleged
breaches of contract in the amount of $72.8 million, as well as other relief.
Chemtrade believes that the claims are without merit and
Chemtrade intends to vigorously defend against the claim.
The Fund disclosed in its final short form prospectus dated August 11, 2005 that Chemtrade
had earlier received and responded to a letter from Marsulex indicating that Marsulex
would view the Peak Acquisition as a breach of the non-competition agreement. Chemtrade
has received advice from its legal advisors that the non-competition covenants contained
in the non-competition agreement are likely unenforceable. Monsanto Completes Sale Of Enviro-Chem Systems Aug. 8, 2005 - ST. LOUIS, Missouri, USA - Monsanto Company (NYSE:
MON) announced today that it has completed the sale of Monsanto Enviro-Chem Systems Inc.
to a new company formed by the Enviro-Chem management team and an outside investor. The
new company will do business as MECS, Inc. Terms of the sale were not released. Chemtrade Logistics announces acquisition, increase in distributions, new bank facilities and equity offering August 2, 2005 - Toronto, Canada - Chemtrade Logistics Income Fund announced today that it has purchased all the outstanding equity interests of Peak Chemical, LLC ("Peak Chemical") and all of the outstanding voting equity interests of Peak Sulfur, Inc. ("Peak Sulfur" and together with Peak Chemical, "Peak"). Chemtrade has the right and intends to purchase the balance of the Peak Sulfur equity (being non-voting common stock) before the end of 2005. The aggregate purchase price was US$166.75 million, which was comprised of US$21.75 million for Peak Chemical and US$145 million for Peak Sulfur (which includes US$15.6 million to fund the purchase price of the non-voting common stock to be acquired in December 2005).35 tonne toxic oleum removed from
Nandesari unit June 15, 2005 - VADODARA, India - Around 35 tonnes of toxic oleum was finally removed from a closed unit at Jeevan Oxychem (Nandesari), about one-and-a-half years after a major gas leak took place at the plant. The move was initiated after residents living around the closed unit, began complaining of frequent leaks from the containers during the daytime. Residents living in surrounding villages have been complaining of white fumes emanating from the containers from 10 in the morning to 6 in the evening. Authorities concerned, after inspecting the storage tanks, had warned disaster management experts that if the oleum was not transferred immediately before the monsoons set in, the gas would vigorously react with rainwater and begin emanating poisonous fumes that could lead to a major chaos in surrounding villages. The contents have finally been transferred to Transpek Silox industries in Vadsar for immediate disposal. Proposed Sulphuric Acid Plant Rejected June 14, 2005 EPA Gives Green Light to Industrial Site Clean-up is a Step Closer to Being Cleaned Up June 8, 2005 - A badly contaminated disused industrial site in Bayswater in Perth where the former CSBP fertiliser plant manufactured sulphuric acid and superphosphate from 1928 to 1990 is one step closer to being cleaned up. The soil on the site is now badly contaminated from waste materials that were disposed of on-site and the groundwater is acidic and moving towards the Swan River. It has taken the company two years to get to the stage of getting the EPA's endorsement. The company proposes to take out the residual material on-site and dispose of it off-site. It will also take care of any other contaminates that occur on-site in such a way that the area in the future can be used for industrial and commercial purposes Topsoe to Supply the Fourth WSA Plant to the Molymet Group June 1, 2005 - In April 2005, Topsoe concluded
a supply contract with Molibdenos y Metales S.A. (Molymet) of Santiago, Chile concerning a
plant for production of 170 MTPD sulphuric acid from the SO2 containing waste gases of a
new molybdenum sulphide roaster at Molymet's plant at Nos, near Santiago. The plant is
scheduled to start operation in early 2007. This will be the fourth sulphuric acid plant
of Topsoe's proprietary WSA (Wet gas Sulphuric Acid) technology, supplied to the Molymet
group. The first three plants are in operation in Belgium, Chile and Mexico. Chemtrade Logistics to acquire leading
European marketer and distributor of sulphur and sulphuric acid May 2, 2005 - Chemtrade Logistics Income Fund
announced that it has agreed to purchase Ruhr Schwefelsaure GmbH (RS) and its subsidiary,
Ruhr Transport GmbH for (euro) 8.6 million (approximately CDN$14.1 million) on a debt free
basis. RS is the leading independent sulphur removal company in Germany, providing
services to major oil and gas industry customers in Central Europe, primarily in Germany.
RS has long-term intake contracts with most of the large producers in Central
Europe including BP, Shell and Exxon, and multi-year sales agreements with consumers such
as Bayer, Degussa and BASF. Approximately 35% of RS sulphur intake volume is secured
by a long-term contract that is in effect until 2017. RS has a significant share of the liquid
sulphur market in Western and Central Europe and is an important supplier of merchant
sulphuric acid in Germany. As part of Chemtrade, RS will have improved access to
international markets for sulphuric acid and sulphur and the combined logistics operations
should result in cost savings for the group. HMZ Metals Begins Hechi Copper Smelter Expansion April 27, 2005 - HMZ Metals Inc. announced the
commissioning of the Hechi copper smelter expansion. The expansion program is
designed to double smelter capacity to 10,000 tonnes of blister copper annually, increase
operating efficiencies and enhance the smelter's environmental performance. HMZ owns
one of the two existing copper smelters in Guangxi province. By doubling capacity, this
program will enable the Company to efficiently capitalize on regional copper production
while keeping capital costs to a minimum. The copper smelter expansion is a two-phase
program. Phase One, with an estimated cost of US$900,000 (RMB 7.3 million) consists of the
construction of an oxygen plant and the addition of a second blast furnace which together
are expected to double capacity by enabling the smelter to operate continuously.
Completion of Phase One is expected in October 2005. Phase Two consists of the construction of a new
sulphuric acid plant that will exceed current emission standards. With a projected
cost of US$2.8 million (RMB 22.7 million) construction will begin following the
implementation of Phase One. Completion of Phase Two is expected in June 2006.
No downtime is expected during either Phase One or Phase Two. Monsanto Signs Letter of Intent to Sell Enviro-Chem Systems Inc. April 5, 2005 - Monsanto Company announced today that it has
signed a non-binding letter of intent to sell its Enviro-Chem unit to the management of
this subsidiary in a management buyout. Enviro-Chem provides engineering, procurement and
construction management services for processing plants that use sulfuric acid. It also
makes and sells proprietary equipment and air pollution control systems. January 13, 2005 - Outokumpu Technology has agreed with Codelco,
the world’s major copper producer, to carry out comprehensive Conceptual Engineering
for the expansion of the Chuquicamata copper smelter and refinery capacity in northern
Chile. OCFL Partially Suspends its Operations February 4, 2005 - The private sector Oswal Chemicals and Fertilizer Ltd (OCFL) at Paradip, has partially suspended after being slapped with a closure notice by the Orissa State Pollution Control Board (SPCB). The SPCB had asked the Collector of Jagatsinghpur district through a communication on January 28 to ensure the closure of operation of the OCFL's Sulphuric Acid plant, Phosphoric Acid plant and Di-Ammonium Phosphate plant till industrial safety was guaranteed. Narottam Behera, Tehsildar of Kujang tehsil, who had been entrusted with the responsibility to ensure closure of the industry, said that though the deadline for the plant's shut down ended yesterday it had been extended up to February six as the company authorities had officially received the closure notice on January 31. The SPCB order said it had found that improper environmental management practices adopted by the industry had caused leakages of gas causing inconvenience to the people. ASARCO Seeks to Renew Air-Quality
Permit for El Paso Smelter January 28, 2005 - Hearings began to on the issue of whether or
not ASARCO should be permitted to renew its air-quality permit for the mothballed El Paso.
An estimated 300 people turned up at UTEP's Tomas Rivera Conference Center for the
start of what's expected to be a months-long process to answer one question: Can the
Asarco smelter retain its state permit to emit 13.7 tons of lead and tons of other
pollutants into the air annually for the next decade? That would be the same amount of
pollution Asarco was allowed from 1992 until it closed in February 1999. The trial
is expected to start in June with a final decision being made in October. Rhodia Completes Sale Of UK Sulfuric Acid Business January 17, 2005 - Rhodia SA has completed the sale of its U.K.
sulfuric acid businesses to U.K.-based INEOS Chlor Ltd. The sale, for an undisclosed
amount, was first announced last November. The sale of Rhodia's U.K. chlor-alkali
business to INEOS will be completed March 31, Rhodia said. Both businesses are located in
Staveley, England. The two businesses had combined revenue of GBP20 million in 2003.
The operation is part of a sale of non-strategic activities by Rhodia in an effort
to consolidate its business portfolio. |
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