Page 155 - CW E-Magazine (18-6-2024)

News from Abroad

RENEWABLE CHEMICALS
Trillium to set up demo plant for sustainable

acrylonitrile production at Ineos’ US site

US-based Trillium Renewable Trillium’s sustainable acrylonitrile
Chemicals has announced the selection offers a lower carbon footprint than
of Ineos Nitriles’ Green Lake facility standard acrylonitrile based on the
in Port Lavaca, Texas (US) to establish ‘Sohio’ propylene process.
the “world’s first” demonstration plant
for converting plant-based glycerol into Trillium continues to operate
acrylonitrile. The demonstration plant a pilot plant and has successfully
is named “Project Falcon.” provided samples to customers. Pilot
operations also have contributed
Trillium focusses on replacing oil & valuable insights for the design of the
gas with plant-based feedstocks in the Falcon plant, which will be operated
manufacturing of green, drop-in mole- at the Ineos Nitriles Green Lake site.
cules. Trillium has developed pro- Nitriles Green Lake, home to America’s
prietary thermochemical technology largest acrylonitrile production plant, The operation of Project Falcon will
to convert plant-based feedstocks like will serve as the home for Project help to validate commercial-scale eco-
glycerol into chemical intermediates Falcon,” said Mr. Corey Tyree, CEO nomics and product carbon footprint
like acrylonitrile. Trillium said the of Trillium Renewable Chemicals. at scale. Emphasis will be placed on
selecting Ineos – the world’s leading achieving process performance criteria
global manufacturer of petrochemicals, Following a $10.6-mn Series A such as plant uptime, demonstrating
underscores its ambition to scale up its financing round in December 2022 and key equipment in its final form, and
technology in an industrial environ- $2.5-mn award from the US Depart- securing qualification as a supplier of bio-
ment to accelerate progress. ment of Energy in June 2022, Trillium based acrylonitrile. Set to commence
constructed a pilot plant that successfully operations in early 2025, the project
“Trillium is thrilled that Ineos produced acrylonitrile from glycerol. will run through early 2026.

PRODUCTION CHALLENGES
Celanese declares force majeure on western
hemisphere acetic acid and VAM

US-based chemicals supplier, disruptions, as well as other operational President of Celanese’s acetyl chain.
Celanese, has confirmed a declaration of issues in its acetyl chain US gulf coast “The primary financial impact of these
force majeure and sales control for network, are being assessed and actions challenges in the second quarter will
acetic acid and vinyl acetate monomer are being taken to offset production be due to incremental costs associated
(VAM) sold in the Western Hemi- losses,” the company informed in a with production at higher cost facilities,
sphere. press statement. external sourcing, and logistics in order
to minimise impacts to our customers.
“This comes as a result of intensi- “Right now, we anticipate that our There may also be a volume impact in
fying force majeure conditions and ope- second quarter US gulf coast produc- the quarter depending on the magnitude
rational failures experienced by multi- tion of acetic acid and VAM will be of lost production,” he added. Celanese
ple suppliers of critical raw materials negatively impacted by 15 to 20 said it will comment further on the
essential to Celanese’s production of percent as a result of these temporary resolution of these temporary challenges
these products. Production challenges challenges which we are still navigating,” and the financial impact when it reports
caused by these raw material supply said Mr. Mark Murray, Senior Vice second quarter earnings.

Chemical Weekly June 18, 2024 155

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