Primed for Success The Story of Scientific Design Company, How Chemical Engineers Created the Petrochemical Industry

Foreword......Page 6
Preface......Page 8
Acknowledgements......Page 11
Contents......Page 14
About the Author......Page 17
1 Introduction......Page 18
References......Page 21
2 The Global Chemical Industry Is Poised for Change......Page 22
2.1.1 DuPont......Page 27
2.1.5 Union Carbide (UCC)......Page 28
2.1.9 Standard Oil Company (N.J.) (Exxon)......Page 29
2.1.11 Ethyl Corporation......Page 30
2.1.12 In Europe: Little Interest in Petrochemicals......Page 31
2.1.13 Chemical Engineering: The Enabler of an Industry......Page 32
References......Page 40
3 Fuels and Chemicals Research Helps Win World War II......Page 41
3.1.1 Union Carbide......Page 44
3.1.2 Shell Chemical......Page 45
3.1.3 Standard Oil (N.J.) (Exxon)......Page 46
3.1.5 Other Companies......Page 48
3.2 Petrochemical-Based Polymers Started Their Phenomenal Growth During World War II......Page 49
3.3 German Chemistry Was Essential for U.S.  War Effort......Page 50
3.4 A Massive Construction Program Helps Win the War......Page 53
References......Page 57
4 Three Entrepreneurs Join Forces......Page 59
References......Page 71
5 Circumstances Are Perfect: A New Industry Grows Rapidly......Page 72
5.1 Why So Many Firms Became Petrochemical Producers......Page 76
5.2 Europe Goes Petrochemical—A Little Later......Page 80
5.3 Great Britain......Page 81
5.4 Germany......Page 82
5.5 France and Italy......Page 84
5.6 Japan......Page 85
References......Page 87
6 Scientific Design Company Becomes Successful......Page 88
6.1 Scientific Design Becomes a Developer of Petrochemical Technology......Page 90
References......Page 109
7 The First Major Invention: The Mid Century Process......Page 110
References......Page 121
8 More Inventions: Nylon Intermediates, Isoprene, Propylene Oxide, Methyl Methacrylate......Page 123
8.1 The Next Breakthrough: High Yield Cyclohexane Oxidation......Page 126
8.2 Isoprene......Page 132
8.3 Epoxidation of Propylene......Page 134
8.4 Methyl Methacrylate......Page 137
References......Page 138
9 Other Firms: A Period of Breakthrough Inventions......Page 139
9.1 UOP Platforming......Page 141
9.2 Monsanto’s Acetic Acid Process......Page 143
9.3 Sohio Acrylonitrile Process......Page 145
9.4 Ethylene Oligomerization and Shell’s SHOP Proess......Page 146
9.5 National Distillers: Vinyl Acetate (VAM)......Page 149
9.6 Oxychlorination of Ethylene......Page 150
References......Page 151
10 The Leading Research and Engineering Firm in Petrochemicals......Page 152
10.1 The Diverse Nature of the Projects and the Exciting Atmosphere that Prevailed......Page 155
10.2 Third Party Processes Available Through Scientific Design......Page 158
10.3 Scientific Design Diversified into Coal-Related Work as the Oil Shocks Impact the US Energy Situation......Page 159
10.4 Scientific Design “Wrote the Book”......Page 160
10.5 Linking Up with MIT......Page 161
References......Page 162
11 Oxirane and the Creation of Halcon International......Page 163
11.1 The Creation of Oxirane......Page 166
11.2 Construction of the Bayport Plant......Page 167
References......Page 176
12 A Reach Too Far......Page 177
12.1 Background of the MEG Project......Page 178
12.2 Plant Startup and Operation: Serious Problems......Page 184
12.3 The Oxirane Buyout......Page 189
References......Page 192
13 An Ending......Page 193
13.1 Acetic Anhydride: The Last Success......Page 194
13.2 The Polyvinyl Alcohol (PVA) Problem......Page 196
13.4 Government Work Helped, but not Enough......Page 197
14.1 Ralph Landau......Page 199
14.2 Propylene Oxide: The Legacy of a Significant Achievement......Page 201
14.3 Scientific Design Company: Still Competing on Ethylene Oxide......Page 202
14.4 The Petrochemical Industry......Page 203
14.5 Chemical Engineers Turn to Other Challenges......Page 205
14.6 The Unusual History of Petrochemicals......Page 207