EIA Forecasts Drop in US Energy-related CO2 Emissions

The EIA recently released the July Short-Term Energy Outlook (STEO), which forecasts a 2.2% decrease in CO2 emissions in 2019.

Dow Enhances Sustainability of Olympic Games Venues

Dow, a Worldwide Olympic Partner and the Official Chemistry Company of the Olympic Games, is offering industry-leading solutions to help insulate, seal, connect, coat and protect key Olympic venues, such as the Olympic Stadium, Ariake Arena, and many more.

South Korea Expands VOC Controls and Tightens Limits

South Korea’s Ministry of Environmental (MoE) recently revised the country's enforcement rules on volatile organic compounds (VOCs), under the Clean Air Conservation Act.The revisions include:- Expand existing requirements that mandate companies to monitor VOC emissions and record them;- Adding 11 substances to the list of VOCs that must be monitored and collected under the Act;- Imposing a maximum limit of 67% VOC content in paints; and- Impose stricter requirements on crude oil refining facilities, which emit arsenic acids.The ministry believes this implementation will reduce VOC emissions from the oil refining and paint industries by 15%.

Chevron Awards Schlumberger 20-year Offshore Contract

Oil and energy Chevron has awarded Schlumberger a twenty-year contract for offshore projects in Gulf of Mexico. Schlumberger will provide the underwater equipment and services for Chevron's offshore projects in the area.

Yara Signs New Credit Facility to Meet Carbon Target

Yara has signed a 1,100 million USD, five-year revolving credit facility (RCF) with two one-year extension options. The facility has been signed by a group of 13 international relationship banks, reflecting Yara’s global footprint.The margin under the Facility will be adjusted based on Yara’s progress to meet its carbon intensity target by 2025:By introducing a sustainability link in its RCF, Yara highlights its commitment to reduce the carbon footprint of its fertilizer production activities.The production of mineral fertilizer contributes to GHG emissions.

Subsea Valve Actuator Increases Energy Efficiency

Bosch Rexroth’s subsea valve actuator (SVA), a new concept for underwater actuators which offers SIL3 safety levels and up to 75% lower energy consumption, has been granted a Mechanical Engineering Design Award.

Texas Passes Bill to Advance Chemical Recycling

Texas has become the sixth state to pass legislation to improve and enhance advanced plastics recycling and recovery technologies, which would convert post-consumer plastics into raw materials using in chemical recycling processes.The Texas Legislature passed the HB 1953 bill and it was signed into law by Governor Greg Abbott.

Chevron Aims for World’s Lowest-Emission LNG Plant

Chevron is seeking approval for its plans for a LNG export facility on the Pacific Coast of Canada to move toward an all-electric design that would result in the lowest greenhouse-gas emissions per tonne of any LNG facility in the world.Chevron and its partner Woodside Petroleum Ltd.

Innovative Model for sCO2 Power Generation

Southwest Research Institute and The University of Texas at San Antonio are collaborating to gather data for a computational model for supercritical carbon dioxide (sCO2) energy generation.

Scientists Produce Graphene from Carbon Dioxide

Scientists at Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) in Germany are producing graphene using carbon dioxide as a raw material.Researchers at KIT are presenting a process in which the greenhouse gas carbon dioxide together with hydrogen gas is converted directly into graphene at temperatures of up to 10,000 degrees Celsius with the help of catalytically active metal surfaces.Graphene is the two-dimensional form of the chemical element carbon, with interesting electrical properties.Several groups at KIT have collaborated to present this method for separating graphene from carbon dioxide and hydrogen by means of a metal catalyst.