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EurOil NEWS IN BRIEF EurOil

BASF announces new refused to insure the vessels involved in Hydrocarbons Agency (until December
2024) and Crodux (until December 2021).
the construction of the Nord Stream 2 gas
product innovations in its pipeline of Russian gas giant Gazprom, RBC
business portal reported on September 23.
selective hydrogenation Stream 2 pipeline to Germany is coming Turkey’s LPG imports rise
As reported by bne IntelliNews, the Nord
catalysts portfolio under increased sanction pressure just before nearly 28% y/y in July
its completion.
A new series of commercially proven A bill is making its way through US Turkey’s liquefied petroleum gas (LPG)
alumina catalysts is now available with new Congress that would impose stricter imports increased by 27.5% to 358,186
performance features that can benefit selective punishments on European companies tonnes in July compared to the same month
hydrogenation applications such as first assisting the project, whose offshore section of 2019, the country’s energy watchdog has
stage PYGAS or selective hydrogenation of is now 94% complete. Construction was said.
dienes in C4 olefin streams, BASF has said. halted in December after the imposition of Data from the Energy Market Regulatory
This new series of Pd on spherically shaped a first round of US sanctions, forcing Swiss Authority’s (EPDK) showed that Turkey’s
E15x catalysts replaces the E14x series of contractor Allseas to halt work. imports came from the US, Algeria,
Pd alumina catalysts which have been used Meanwhile, the US State Department is Kazakhstan, Spain, Libya, Croatia and
commercially for over thirty years in selective looking to remove an exemption protecting Greece.
hydrogenation applications. Nord Stream 2 from an existing sanctions Turkey’s LPG production in July
The new series of alumina supported package introduced in 2017. decreased to 82,476 tonnes, marking a year-
catalysts offers better activity and tolerance IG P&I, uniting 13 largest maritime on-year drop of 14%.
to poisons such as sulfur due to higher insurers, is also avoiding Nord Stream 2 due Exports increased to 5,716 tonnes in July
Pd dispersion. The catalysts are also very to sanctions, which could further complicate from 4,588 tonnes in July 2019.
uniform in size and shape which helps to the search for pipelayers that could complete Total LPG sales in July increased to
prevent mal-distribution of feed in fixed the pipeline in Danish waters. around 407,290 tonnes, representing a 4.5%
bed reactor applications. This new series of gain. They included 65,457 tonnes of bottled
selective hydrogenation catalysts is available LPG and 6,561 tonnes of bulk LPG.
with Pd contents ranging from 0.15 to 0.75 % Croatia’s scandal-hit Janaf
Pd and can be produced in BASF plant sites
in Europe and the United States as well. announces new contracts Management firm Lazar
Another innovation is the new purified
terephthalic acid (PTA) catalyst CBA-250 Croatian oil pipeline operator Jadranski puts value of MOL’s stake in
which offers lower Pd content compared Naftovod (Janaf) announced on September
to the standard commercial PTA catalysts 24 that it has concluded several new contracts INA at $800mn
CBA-300 and CBA-400 as well as standard on oil transport and storage, despite the
competitive PTA catalysts which have much corruption scandal that has engulfed the Hungarian oil and gas company MOL’s
higher Pd contents. The lower Pd content company. 49.08% stake in Croatian peer INA could be
makes CBA-250 commercially attractive Janaf’s then head, Dragan Kovacevic, worth some $800mn, Hungarian business
and easy to adopt as it is formulated to be was arrested on September 17 as part of daily Vilaggazdasag said on September 29,
equivalent to standard commercial PTA a corruption probe, along with several citing a report in Croatian weekly Nacional.
catalysts. others. Kovacevic is suspected of taking Nacional learned that the stake could be
“BASF continues to drive innovation to bribes in exchange for favouring certain worth $800mn from sources in the economy
help our customers be more successful and companies when awarding contracts. He and energy ministries.
the new selective hydrogenation catalysts has since been replaced by management The weekly said the figure is close to the
offer is creating exceptional value for our board member Stjepan Adani as acting value of the stake estimated by financial
customers,” says Detlef Ruff, Senior Vice chairman. advisory and investment management firm
President Process Catalysts at BASF. “JANAF d.d. continues with regular Lazard, which has prepared a report for the
“We are looking forward to sharing more operations, duly fulfils its obligations under Croatian government on a possible buyback
information on the new product offer with existing contracts and stable operations and of the MOL stake, but the report has not
our customers during the upcoming virtual high utilisation of storage and transport been made public.
European Petrochemical Associations capacities in the forthcoming period are Nacional said a buyback would require
Conference (EPCA) from October 5-7,” says expected, which is ensured by concluding the involvement of a strategic investor
Adrian Steinmetz, Vice President Chemical contracts for these activities,” said a and learned that four industry players had
Market Catalysts and Adsorbents at BASF, statement from the company on September expressed interest in the matter: two from
“We have set up specific webinars that can 24. Europe and two from other regions. The
also be found on our selective hydrogenation Janaf said it has concluded oil most serious contender is Russia’s Rosneft,
catalysts website.” transportation contracts with INA (until the weekly said.
June 2021) and MOL (until December 2022). The Hungarian oil giant holds just under
Oil storage contracts have been concluded half of INA’s shares, 49% but exercises
Vessels for Nord Stream with the Hydrocarbons Agency (until management rights in the company. MOL
December 2027), INA (until December
has long been at odds with the Croatian
2 construction denied 2022), MOL (until December 2022), government, the other big stakeholder in
Glencore (until March 2021), Petraco (until
INA, over investments at the company.
insurance March 2022) and Litasco (until March 2023), Croatia’s government announced its
the company said.
intention to buy back MOL’s stake in INA
International Group of P&I Clubs (IG P&I) Storage agreements for petroleum late in 2016.
insuring 90% of maritime vessels reportedly products have been concluded with the

Week 39 01•October•2020 www. NEWSBASE .com P21