[ Chemical / Petrochemical ] potent greenhouse gas with a global warming potential more than 270 times greater than carbon dioxide. In the USA, Shintech Louisiana plans to invest USD $ 3.4 billion to construct a second ethylene unit and a fourth chloralkali and vinyl chloride monomer unit at the company’ s existing Iberville Parish facility, marking the next phase of the company’ s long-term growth in Louisiana. To finish with positive news from Antwerp, Belgium, where a state-ofthe-art petrochemical facility is under construction following a EUR 4.5 billion investment by INEOS. The new ethylene facility has been designed to reduce carbon emissions by two thirds compared to the average cracker in Europe. However, recent comments from company CEO Sir Jim Ratcliffe should be noted, as he openly ponders whether the INEOS’ Project ONE will be Europe’ s last investment in the petrochemicals industry. In earlier statements, Sir Jim stressed the strategic and economic importance of the European chemical industry. His words are supported by cefic( forum for the EU chemical industry) who in a bleak message at the start of the year highlighted a sixfold increase in the closure rate of chemical plants in Europe since 2022.
[ Chemical / Petrochemical ] potent greenhouse gas with a global warming potential more than 270 times greater than carbon dioxide. In the USA, Shintech Louisiana plans to invest USD $ 3.4 billion to construct a second ethylene unit and a fourth chloralkali and vinyl chloride monomer unit at the company’ s existing Iberville Parish facility, marking the next phase of the company’ s long-term growth in Louisiana. To finish with positive news from Antwerp, Belgium, where a state-ofthe-art petrochemical facility is under construction following a EUR 4.5 billion investment by INEOS. The new ethylene facility has been designed to reduce carbon emissions by two thirds compared to the average cracker in Europe. However, recent comments from company CEO Sir Jim Ratcliffe should be noted, as he openly ponders whether the INEOS’ Project ONE will be Europe’ s last investment in the petrochemicals industry. In earlier statements, Sir Jim stressed the strategic and economic importance of the European chemical industry. His words are supported by cefic( forum for the EU chemical industry) who in a bleak message at the start of the year highlighted a sixfold increase in the closure rate of chemical plants in Europe since 2022.
Research into CRAs Scientific research into the use of stainless steels in the chemical industry
Biomethane – potential for energy-intensive industries?
According to cefic, biomethane could help industry progress towards climate neutrality while contributing to Europe’ s energy security and industrial competitiveness. For details, see a video interview featuring Nicolai Romanowski( Cefic) and Anna Venturini( European Biogas Association). https:// cefic. org / news / can-biomethane-workfor-europes-energy-intensive-industries
continues apace. Hence a paper in Sustainable Chemistry One World( Volume 10, June 2026) reports on fucus spiralis extract as an eco-friendly inhibitor for 304L stainless steel in hydrochloric acid medium. According to the authors, electrochemical measurements revealed a mixed type inhibition with a maximum efficiency of 83.6 % at 800 ppm after six hours of exposure. Competitive adsorption and unexpected corrosion inhibition effect of 316 L stainless steel in NaClO3 and NaCl environment of chlor-alkali industry were discussed in Corrosion Science( Volume 264, May 2026). The writers indicate that“ corrosion resistance of 316 L steel continuously improved as the NaClO3 concentration increased from 0 g / L to 40 g / L. The increased NaClO3 concentration can increase the chromium content in the passive film, enhancing the self-healing ability and corrosion resistance. Moreover, the ClO3¯ inhibits Cl¯ penetration, which also mitigates the corrosion kinetics and promotes passive film densification, resulting in the improved corrosion resistance.” A December 2025 article in Engineering Failure Analysis( Volume 182, Part C, December 2025) highlighted areas for attention when conducting weld repairs in martensitic stainless steel.“ The findings demonstrate that ACAG + SAW processing, while operationally efficient, is challenging to result 410 stainless steel suitable for petrochemical applications requiring simultaneous corrosion resistance and fracture toughness. This work provides essential data for revising weld repair protocols, highlighting the necessity of alternative techniques or alloy modifications for critical service conditions.”
Brunei Fertilizer Industries plans to expand ammonia handling and export infrastructure. Illustrative image.
www. stainless-steel-world. net Stainless Steel World June 2026 17