DOW CHEMICAL and DuPont are in “advanced” merger talks, according to reports in various media outlets.

The first to report the story was the Wall Street Journal. According to the US newspaper, the two companies are together worth US$120bn, and could announce a merger deal within days.

http://www.tcetoday.com/latest%20news/2015/december/reports-dow-and-dupont-in-merger-talks#.VmjzYE3oupo

From http://www.chemengonline.com/

Dow Performance Plastics wins the 43rd Kirkpatrick Chemical Engineering Achievement Award

The 43rd Kirkpatrick Chemical Engineering Achievement Award was presented on Wednesday, November 18 to Dow Performance Plastics for its Intune Olefin Block Copolymers. Chemical Engineering magazine has presented this biennial award continuously since 1933. The award honors the most-noteworthy chemical engineering technology that has been commercialized anywhere in the world during the two previous years. [more]

Air Liquide to acquire Airgas for $13.4 billion

Air Liquide (Paris, France; www.airliquide.com) has reached an agreement to acquire Airgas, Inc. (Radnor, Pa.; www.airgas.com) in a game-changing combination that strengthens Air Liquide’s global leadership position, offers new opportunities to Airgas’ customers and delivers significant value to shareholders. [more]

SNC-Lavalin awarded wastewater treatment project for Qatargas Laffan Refinery 2

SNC-Lavalin (Montreal, Canada; www.snclavalin.com) has been awarded a contract by Qatargas for a water-recycling facility at its Laffan Refinery 2 plant in Ras Laffan Industrial City, Qatar. SNC-Lavalin is providing engineering, procurement, supply, construction and commissioning services for the recycling facility to handle treated industrial water from the Laffan Refineries 1 and 2. [more]

Technip awarded contract to supply reformer for STAR hydrogen plant

Technip (Paris, France; www.technip.com) has been awarded a lump-sum contract to supply its proprietary technology, detailed engineering and procurement services for a reformer for a hydrogen plant. The plant is located near the STAR Aegean Refinery to be built in Izmir, Aliaga, Turkey.  [more]

Genomatica and Braskem confirm lab-scale production of bio-based butadiene

Genomatica  (San Diego, Calif.; www.genomatica.com) and Braskem (São Paulo, Brazil; www.braskem.com) announced they have been successfully producing butadiene at laboratory scale since June 2015, using their direct, bio-based process. The companies are jointly developing a commercial process for the on-purpose production of butadiene made from renewable feedstocks, as announced in December 2013.  [more]

Dow to purchase Beaumont aniline facility from Chemours

The Chemours Co. (Wilmington, Del.; www.chemours.com) has signed a definitive agreement to sell its aniline facility in Beaumont, Tex. to The Dow Chemical Company (Midland, Mich.; www.dow.com) for approximately $140 million in cash. The transaction close is subject to customary approvals and closing conditions.  [more]