Chemicals/Petroleum
Latching Drum Lids Make Drum Access Easy
March 13, 2013 3:29 pm | Products | CommentsIdeal for both product dispensing and waste collection areas, the Lids feature a Nitrile gasket and locking mechanism that reduces vapor emissions and seals the lid so drum contents stay secure. A removable hinge pin allows the Lid to be removed without loosening the band to facilitate container dumping.
Louisiana Lands Chemical Storage, Distribution Facility
March 7, 2013 11:14 am | News | CommentsLogistics service provider Katoen Natie plans to build a $150 million plastics storage and distribution facility in Baton Rouge that will support the area's chemical plants. The indoor storage and distribution complex is expected to create 210 new jobs.
Countdown To REACH — Complying With Document Delivery Challenges
February 27, 2013 12:34 pm | by Malcolm Carroll, Director, Reach Delivery | Articles | CommentsThe aim of REACH is to improve and ensure the safe use of chemicals, and the one of the things that REACH does is make all parties in the supply chain — from manufacturers, distributors through to downstream users — directly responsible for the safety of the chemical substances they handle. One area where this has caused changes is the shipping of chemicals and in particular, the requirements for documentation in the supply chain.
Spill Containment Range Protects Agaginst Worker, Environment Risk
February 25, 2013 2:39 pm | Products | CommentsThe flexible, portable and robust containment products are constructed from high-grade specialised polymers to resist diverse ranges of fuel and chemicals, and are produced by one of the world’s leading suppliers of spill prevention, containment and control products, ENPAC.
BP Civil Settlement Remains Elusive
February 20, 2013 2:03 pm | by Michael Kunzelman, Associated Press | News | CommentsMonths of negotiations have failed to resolve lingering differences — not just with the London-based oil giant, but among themselves. A meeting convened in Washington late last week ended with no agreement, said a person familiar with the negotiations. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because the discussions were confidential.
Celebs, Enviros Arrested At WH Pipeline Protest
February 14, 2013 11:27 am | by Matthew Daly, Associated Press | News | CommentsThe protesters are demanding that President Barack Obama reject the pipeline, which they say would carry "dirty oil" that contributes to global warming. They also worry about a spill. Many business and labor groups support the 1,700-mile pipeline as a source of jobs and a step toward North American energy independence.
Government Boosts Forecast For Pump Prices
February 14, 2013 10:27 am | News | CommentsPump prices should average $3.55 a gallon in 2013, according to the Energy Information Administration, the statistical arm of the Energy Department. That's up 11 cents from EIA's forecast in January and would be the second-highest annual average ever, after last year's $3.63 a gallon.
U.S. Company Sued Over Oil Discharged In Gulf
February 12, 2013 9:23 am | News | CommentsThe Justice Department is suing a Houston-based company it accuses of illegally discharging oil from a platform in the Gulf of Mexico. The lawsuit filed Monday in New Orleans against ATP Oil & Gas Corp. says the company's alleged federal Clean Water Act violations were discovered during an Interior Department inspection last year.
Calif. Proposing New Flame Retardant Regulations
February 11, 2013 8:21 am | by Jason Dearen, Associated Press | News | CommentsCalifornia proposed regulations on Friday that would set new flammability standards and allow furniture and some children's product manufacturers to stop using chemical flame retardants. The change was proposed after decades of complaints about the spread of chemicals known as PBDEs and TDCPP into the environment.
BP Profit Drops 79 Percent Due To Settlement
February 5, 2013 8:20 am | by Danica Kirka, Associated Press | News | CommentsOil and gas giant BP's profit fell nearly 80 percent in the fourth quarter in results released Tuesday. BP said that net profit fell to $1.62 billion in the quarter ending on Dec. 31, down from $7.69 billion in the same period the year before. BP took a loss of $3.85 billion for its settlement of all federal criminal charges with the U.S. government.
Bills Would Ban Chemicals In Baby Products
January 31, 2013 1:36 pm | by Phuong Le, Associated Press | News | CommentsBills introduced in the Washington Legislature this year would ban two chemical flame retardants — TCEP and chlorinated Tris, or TDCPP — from sofas and children's products such as strollers, changing pads, car seats and nursing pillows.
Chevron Fined Nearly $1M For Refinery Fire
January 31, 2013 8:44 am | by Jason Dearen, Associated Press | News | CommentsInvestigators found "willful violations" in Chevron Corp.'s response before, during and after the Aug. 6 fire in Richmond caused by an old, leaky pipe in one of the facility's crude units, said Ellen Widess, chief of the California Division of Occupational Safety and Health.
Duo 400 Parts Washer Achieves Optimum Cleanliness Standards
January 30, 2013 11:56 am | Products | CommentsMecWash Systems introduces the Duo 400 — a compact, fully automatic and self-contained aqueous cleaning system that meets the highest “visually clean and dry” cleanliness and inspection standards. Ideal for cell-manufacturing or within a centralized layout, the Duo 400 occupies a small footprint.
Next In BP Spill Saga: Civil Trial Worth Billions
January 30, 2013 8:38 am | by Michael Kunzelman, Associated Press | News | CommentsA federal judge agreed to let the London-based oil giant plead guilty to manslaughter charges for the April 2010 deaths of 11 workers on the Deepwater Horizon rig and pay the record amount of criminal penalties. What the plea deal approved by U.S. District Judge Sarah Vance doesn't resolve, though, is the federal government's civil claims against BP.
Eriez Offers Four Self-Contained Coolant Recycling Systems
January 29, 2013 2:18 pm | Products | CommentsThe HydroFlow® line of Coolant Recycling Systems (CRS) from Eriez can recycle any water-miscible fluid to its maximum potential, minimize or eliminate disposal and reduce usage of the fluid concentrate. The four models available in the Eriez CRS line all help to improve plant productivity and profitability.
Judge OKs $4B BP Criminal Settlement
January 29, 2013 1:41 pm | News | CommentsA U.S. judge on Tuesday approved an agreement for British oil giant BP PLC to plead guilty to manslaughter and other charges and pay a record $4 billion in criminal penalties for the company's role in the 2010 oil disaster in the Gulf of Mexico. More than 200 million gallons of oil spewed in the three months before BP's blown-out Macondo well could be capped.
Blackmer Introduces NPH4F Sliding Vane Pumps
January 28, 2013 4:09 pm | Products | CommentsBlackmer, a global leader in positive displacement and centrifugal pump, and reciprocating compressor technologies, is pleased to announce the launch of its NPH4F Sliding Vane Pump. The NPH4F is a positive-displacement sliding vane pump specifically designed to offer maximum versatility in fluid processing and transfer applications for a wide range of clean, non-corrosive fluids.
China Levies Anti-Dumping Tax On U.S., EU Chemicals
January 28, 2013 7:43 am | News | CommentsChina says it will impose anti-dumping duties on two chemicals from the United States and European Union for five years. The Ministry of Commerce said it ruled that U.S. and EU companies have been selling the chemicals at unfairly low prices, hurting China's domestic industry.
Chemical Activity Barometer Up For Sixth Consecutive Month
January 25, 2013 12:13 pm | News | CommentsThe American Chemistry Council’s (ACC) monthly Chemical Activity Barometer (CAB) released today showed sustained growth, notching a 0.4 percent gain over December 2012 on a three month moving average (3MMA) basis. The year over year 3MMA showed a solid 2.8 percent gain over January 2012.
W.R. Grace Raises Asbestos Liability To Over $2B
January 24, 2013 6:26 pm | News | CommentsChemical and building material manufacturer W.R. Grace & Co. said Thursday that it will raise its recorded liability for asbestos claims to $2.07 billion. Previously the amount had been $1.7 billion. The company said it will report a $365 million charge for the fourth quarter.
OM Selling Part Of Business For At Least $325M
January 22, 2013 11:52 am | News | CommentsSpecialty chemicals maker OM Group Inc. said late Monday that it reached a deal to sell the downstream portion of its advanced materials business to a new joint venture for at least $325 million. The deal includes an initial cash payment of $325 million and potential future payments of up to an additional $110 million, if the business meets certain targets over the next three years.
BP Wants Ruling On Size Of Gulf Oil Spill
January 14, 2013 11:20 am | by Michael Kunzelman, Associated Press | News | CommentsA court filing by London-based BP PLC says workers captured more than 34 million gallons — 810,000 barrels — of crude and either burned it or shipped it to shore before it could enter the Gulf waters. The company asked U.S. District Judge Carl Barbier to rule that the collected oil can't be counted in calculating the company's Clean Water Act penalties.
Gas Prices Expected To Fall In 2013
January 11, 2013 11:23 am | by Jonathan Fahey, AP Energy Writer | News | CommentsHamburger, health care and taxes are all set to take a bigger bite out of the family budget this year. But drivers' annual gas bills are expected to drop for the first time in four years. Forecasters say ample oil supplies and weak U.S. demand will keep a lid on prices.
Dow Chemical Reopens La. Plant
January 8, 2013 7:41 am | News | CommentsDow Chemical Co. has successfully restarted its St. Charles Olefins 2 Plant near Hahnville after three years of inactivity. The company said restarting the plant is the first major milestone in Dow's Gulf Coast investment strategy. Dow can reduce the amount of ethylene it buys, lowering its production costs.
Gas Prices Stay Down As 2013 Starts
January 7, 2013 1:48 pm | News | CommentsU.S. drivers are hoping 2013 doesn't start off like 2012 at the gas pump. So far, so good. Gasoline now averages $3.30 a gallon, up about half a penny since Jan. 1. A year ago, gas rose about 10 cents in the first week or so because of a jump in oil prices, and it nearly hit $4 in early April.
