Sale
Arkema will sell its specialty amines business based in Riverview, Michigan to Taminco.  The business is part of Arkema’s thiochemical division and has annual sales of about $72 million.  The specialty chemicals include alkyl-alcanol-amines (AAA), alkyl-hydroxyl-amines (DEHA) and basic alkyl-amines (AA).

Investment
The Department of Energy will spend $200 million over five years to fund up to 10 cellulosic research biorefineries for ethanol and bio-based chemicals.  The program is intended to jump-start cellulosic research and the department is seeking research applicants who can share funding on a 50-50 basis toward successful demonstration of cellulosic biorefineries at one-tenth of commercial scale.  Small-scale projects are being targeted to help discover and develop a variety of cellulosic feedstocks, new approaches and refining processes.  The small-scale projects are expected to be operational within four years and will speed the adoption of new technologies to produce ethanol and bio-based chemicals from cellulosic feedstocks, with commercial-scale demonstrations to follow.

Expansion
Potash Corporation of Saskatchewan, Canada has started a $775 million project to expand potash production by 1.2 million tons/year at its Cory operation.  Included in the investment is $75 million for 750,000 tons of new compaction capacity.  The project involves de-bottlenecking underground operations as well as significantly expanding the production of red potash products.  A new plant will be built for the crushing, flotation, centrifuging and drying of 2 million tons/year of red products, with up to 800,000 tons to be crystallized for white product production.  In addition, storage, load-out and rail yard capabilities will be expanded.  Work has begun and is expected to take 36 months to complete.

Refinery Emissions Cut
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is seeking to impose emissions restrictions on new, modified or rebuilt process units at petroleum refineries.  Under the proposed change, refiners would be required to add state-of-the-art emissions control equipment on new or updated facilities as well as require changes in certain work practices.  While this may cost the industry $55 million annually, it could provide environmental benefits of up to $950 million annually.  The implementation period would be five years, but is intended to result in reduction of combined emissions of particulates, sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxide emissions by nearly 56,000 tons/year.  The standards would include emission limits for fluid catalytic crackers, fluid cooking units, delayed cooking units, process heaters and other fuel gas combustion devices or sulfur recovery plants.  It would also require refiners to generate and implement plans aimed at minimizing emissions from refinery start-ups and shutdowns.

Push for Ethanol
Mexico’s Chamber of Deputies has passed a bill to promote the use of ethanol as an oxygenator instead of methyl tertiary butyl ether (MTBE) in gasoline and to increase the use of biofuels.  The bill gives the task of developing policy on biofuels to the Inter-Ministerial Rural Development Commission, asking it to focus on the use of sugar cane and maize for ethanol, oil-producing plants for biodiesel, and on promoting products that increase air quality.

Onshore Facility
Ambar Lone Star Fluid Services (ALSFS) has opened a 21,800-square-foot distribution and operations complex in Tyler, Texas.  ALSFS is a subsidiary of Patterson-UTI Energy, Inc. and offers a complete line of drilling and completion fluids, including the patent-pending DFX high performance water base mud or Eco-Syn synthetic fluid for deepwater environments.  The new facility was built to expand and enhance both technical and service capabilities for customers in Arkansas, Louisiana and Texas.  The complex consists of a 10,000-square-foot warehouse and a 4,000 square-foot warehouse for drilling/completion fluids material storage and a 7,800-square-foot office facility, housing operations, distribution, sales and a fluid testing laboratory.  The distribution yard has storage capabilities for 25,000 sacks of bulk barite material.

Divestiture
Danisco has entered into an agreement to divest its flavors line to Firmenich for $611 million, roughly 2.2 times annual sales revenue.  The deal is expected to close in June and will be accomopanied by a strategic partnership agreement aimed at providing unique and comprehensive solutions for the food industry by the two companies.

Oil and Gas Find
Kuwait believes it has discovered a large oil field in the north of the country, along with gas.  The find is touted as having the ability to have a positive impact on the country’s oil and gas strategy.

Presence Expanded
GE Oil & Gas has established a new Field Service and Maintenance Center for Trinidad and Tobago.  A 30,000 square-foot facility is located in Point Fortin, Trinidad, adjacent to the Atlantic LNG Company’s production facility.

Training Center
Halliburton has opened a new training center in Tyumen, Russia, in cooperation with Tyumen State Oil and Gas University.  The center is intended to further develop the professional and technical skills of the company’s employees in the Europe Eurasia Region.  It is equipped with three classrooms, a laboratory, and state-of-the-art videoconferencing equipment that gives the students real-time access to other students and technical experts around the world.