New polyethylene gets big start in Europe The revolutionary new low-pressure, and low-cost, process for the world's most widely used plastic, low-density polyethylene, is getting off to a strong start in Western Europe. Both sources of the new process, Union Carbide and Dow Chemical, are now represented with more than three fourths of a billion pounds of annual capacity planned at two sites, both to come on stream in 1983. The most recently disclosed of the two projects is by Unifos Kemi of Sweden, a joint venture of Union Carbide and Kema Nobel of Sweden. This will be a 150,000 metric-tonper-year (330 million lb) linear lowdensity polyethylene (LLDPE) plant at Stenungsund, Sweden, using Carbide's Unipol process. Construction is expected to get under way shortly, with completion scheduled for early 1983. This will be the first use of Carbide's Unipol LLDPE process in Europe. Unifos also is modifying an existing 130,000 metric-ton-per-year (286 million lb) high-density polyethylene plant at Stenungsund to produce unspecified quantities of LLDPE while the new unit is going up.
EEC olefins, aromatics c Producers of olefins and aromatics in the European Economic Community and throughout Western Europe generally expect demand to fall short of their plants' output capability in the immediate future. That's the picture that emerges from the latest survey covering 1979 through 1984 prepared by the European Council of Chemical Manufacturers' Federations (CEFIC) in Brussels. Just how badly the West European chemical industry has been hit by the current recession is evident from the expected 1980 consumption levels. In every case, the figures are down from 1979_by 13% for ethylene, 16% for propylene, 10% for butadiene, 13% for benzene, 4% for toluene, 8% for oxylene, and 17% for p-xylene. Set against this year, 1979 was a good one for petrochemical feedstock producers. Ethylene demand in EEC nations in 1979 amounted to 23.2 billion lb, 82% of installed effective capacity. For Western Europe as a whole, the demand was 26.8 billion lb, 83% of effective capacity. CEFIC projects 1984 ethylene consumption in EEC at 26.2 billion lb, representing a 2.5% annual growth rate from 1979. For Western Europe,
Early this year, Dow announced its European debut for LLDPE at a plant to be built either at Terneuzen in the Netherlands or Tessenderlo in Belgium (C&EN, March 10, page 10). Capacity using the new Dowlex process would be 200,000 metric tons per year (440 million lb), and startup is scheduled by the end of 1983. The Dow and Carbide entries in Europe bring worldwide planned and operating LLDPE capacity to a staggering 6.5 billion lb per year. Most of this is from licensed Unipol technology from Carbide, which the company says now amounts to more than 4.4 billion lb annually. This includes some LLDPE capacity which can be adapted for high-density polyethylene production. Carbide itself plans to have 1 billion lb of Unipol LLDPE capacity going in the U.S. by 1983. The first major unit, designed for 300 million lb per year, came on stream at Seadrift, Tex., in August. Construction is well under way on another major unit, for 600 million lb a year, at Taft, La. Dow's LLDPE plans call for more than 1.1 billion lb of capacity worldwide, all of it owned by Dow (none on license) by the end of 1983. In addition to the European unit, Dow plans 700 million lb of capacity in the U.S. by early 1982. •
House passes Senate's Alaska lands bill
Calling it "one of the most farreaching conservation decisions in history," Rep. Morris K. Udall (D.Ariz.) bowed to the new political realities and gave up his four-year fight for a stronger Alaska landsprotection bill. Shortly after Udall's statement, the House passed by voice vote a measure the Senate had approved in August. Last week's House action—probably the only measure besides money bills that will be approved by the lame-duck session of Congress—sets aside 104 million acres as national parks, wildlife refuges, and national conservation areas. Although falling short of the acreage the House version would have protected, the Houseapproved Senate version nevertheless doubles the size of the U.S. national park system and triples the wilderness system. The bill has been sent to President Carter, and he is expected to sign it. But, to the consternation of environmentalists who banded together as the Alaska Coalition, this bill places fewer strictures on oil and mining exploration and timber cutting on 47.3 million acres. The remaining 56.7 million acres are designated wilderness areas and are, therefore, untouchable. itlook not very bright In the balance during the four years ethylene demand is projected at 30.6 of Congressional internecine warfare billion lb, a 2.7%-per-year growth over over the protectionist legislation was economic development versus envithe same period. On the other hand, effective eth- ronmental protection. Neither ylene capacity levels will rise faster. In side—not Udall and environmental EEC, effective capacity will rise to groups or Alaska Sen. Ted Stevens 32.7 billion lb in 1984 from 28.4 billion and industry interests—is entirely lb in 1979, a 2.9%-per-year growth. In satisfied with the approved measure, Western Europe, capacity will grow but both sides feel that they have about 3.7% a yeaf, to 38.7 billion lb in achieved 80 to 85% of their goals. Udall, chairman of the House Interior 1984 from 32.4 billion lb in 1979. Annual growth in propylene con- Committee, which wrote the strong sumption in EEC is expected to be House version, vowed he would come 2.7% (to 14.2 billion lb in 1984 from back next year with amendments. • 12.5 billion lb in 1979), 2.9% in Western Europe (to 15.4 billion lb from 13.3 billion lb). Effective ca- Nations plot strategy pacity will expand a notch above 3% per year in EEC (to 18.6 billion lb), to reduce oil imports and 3.7% per year in Western Europe Imports of oil by International En(to 21.3 billion lb). Among the aromatics, benzene ca- ergy Agency countries could be repacity in EEC will increase about duced nearly 6 million bbl per day by 1.1% annually (to 14.6 billion lb), the year 2000, if development and whereas consumption will grow 2.3% commercialization of new energy per year to 11.9 billion lb. EEC ca- conservation and supply technologies pacity for o- and p-xylene will remain are accelerated. That's the gist of a new report, "A essentially at last year's levels of 1.8 billion lb and 2.4 billion lb, respec- Group Strategy for Energy Research, tively. Consumption of o-xylene is Development, and Demonstration," expected to gain 2.8% annually to 1.7 resulting from a five-year study by billion lb, and p -xylene 1.8% to 2.0 IE A, a 21-nation group associated billion lb. • with the Organization for Economic Nov. 17, 1980 C&EN
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