With OPEC estimating output to increase by 400,000 barrels per day this year and non-OPEC supplies likely to rise by twice that, the glut of world oil supply does not look to clear up any time soon. The fact that world oil storage is approaching capacity, rising by 265 million barrels last year, has only... Read more »
One of the biggest concerns in winter is the problem of how to deal with ice on the roads. Currently the most popular method for dealing with this problem is with the use of sodium chloride (table salt). Sodium chloride is used because it is very inexpensive, but it does have its downsides. Sodium chloride... Read more »
A tentative contract was reached last Friday evening between the International Longshore and Warehouse Union and the Pacific Maritime Association. The agreement comes after nine months of negotiations that heated up this past fall, crippling ports from San Diego to Seattle. A joint statement released by PMA President James McKenna and ILWU President Bob McEllrath... Read more »
The 14-week long labor dispute between the operators of 29 West Coast ports from San Diego to Seattle and the International Longshore and Warehouse Union (ILWU) is leaving ships and cargo containers stacking up. Shipping times have been reported to have doubled and even tripled though these locations, leaving thousands of U.S. businesses to deal with... Read more »
As of December 20th, 2014 the labeling requirement for products containing DINP in the state of California went into effect. Any product containing more than the established No Significant Risk Level (NSRL) of 146 micrograms per day must be labeled when sold in the state. The 45-day public comment period regarding the proposed NSRL was scheduled... Read more »
Evonik Industries, a chemical manufacturer based in Germany, has announced plans to increase production of plasticizer feedstock 2-propyl heptanol (2-PH). The plant located in Marl, North Rhine-Westphalia in Germany will be making use of a recently developed ligand called OxoPhos 64i make the oxo reaction used to produce the alcohol more efficient, allowing the plant... Read more »
A joint project between researchers from the University of Minnesota, Rice University, and Argonne National Laboratory has identified a set of promising new zeolites, materials used in the refining of ethanol and petrochemicals. Zeolites are molecules which enable the processing of crude feedstock to a more refined product. With more than 200 known, and hundreds... Read more »
Developers at Ford Motors have engineered a soy-based foam to replace traditional plastics in seat cushions. Ford first began using the sustainable technology beginning in 2008, and since the technology has taken over in all North American vehicles produced by the company. With about 300 pounds of petroleum based plastic in every vehicle, Ford was... Read more »
A truck driver shortage that plagued shippers in the 4thquarter of 2014 has carried over into the new year. The problem has lead to carriers being more likely to increase wages and hire more inexperienced drivers. Over 90% of carriers expect wage increases of 6-10%, and although 80% of the industry is open to hiring... Read more »
A Russian chemistry experiment is being run on the International Space Station to create polymer walls that form shells in the weightlessness of space. The experiment is being conducted in a contained glovebox with two hardening processes to ‘set’ the end structures. Not only does the experiment demonstrate this method of creating polymers, it also... Read more »
