Reaching new heights with Borouge

Water & Wastewater Asia recently sat down with Youssef Taha, Vice President of Infrastructure at Borouge, to fi nd out more about what the company thinks of emerging trends in the market, and how they plan to expand their production of PE black pipe solutions.

WATER & WASTEWATER ASIA (WWA): What

are some major milestones in the last three years that have contributed to the success of Borouge’s Infrastructure business today?

YOUSSEF: In 2016, we launched our coloured PE100 and PE80 solutions for gas applications to meet the growth in demand from Southeast Asia, the Indian subcontinent and Middle East.

We have seen growing confi dence in PE materials by pipe producers in the region, who are increasing investments in machinery for the manufacturing of very large diameter pipes. In the last two years for instance, a leading Vietnamese producer invested heavily in a solid wall HDPE extrusion line for the production of water pipes for construction, supply and drainage applications. The line is currently one of only a handful in the world which can produce OD 2m pipes.

In line with global trends toward urbanisation, the rise in the development of modern residential and commercial high rises has led to a corresponding increase in the demand for advanced plumbing networks. We have addressed this trend by expanding our existing Hot and Cold portfolio with the launch of new PE-RT materials. We are also actively collaborating with value chain partners to promote our existing PP-R solutions.

WWA : I understand BorECO™ PP materials are specifically developed for underground, sewage and drainage systems – what are the advantages of using this?

YOUSSEF : Our BorECO™ PP solutions have a higher modulus as compared to standard PP materials. This makes them very ideal for underground sewage and drainage applications because of a good balance of fl exibility and stiff ness - mechanical properties that are crucial in enabling the buried pipeline to withstand ground movements and high top loads for a long and leak-free service life. In addition to these, BorECO™ PP solutions have an excellent downgauging potential – producers can enjoy greater material savings as they would be able to manufacture thinner walled pipes that possess the same strength and durability as ones with thicker walls. These pipes are also lighter and can be transported using less energy, hence reducing the environmental footprint.

WWA : What makes the modern plastic piping system, and how have piping systems evolved to suit changing needs in the water industry?

YOUSSEF : The global trends of population growth, urbanisation and extreme weather patterns caused by climate change have heightened the need for modern water infrastructure networks which address water scarcity, safeguard water security and ensure water supply reliability. Also, with urban areas becoming increasingly dense and packed with tightly clustered high rises, it is important that modern infrastructure networks are easy to install, operate and maintain in such complex operating environments.

To meet these requirements, modern polyolefi n piping systems are currently made from fi fth generation bimodal high density PE100 (i.e. HDPE 100). In addition to possessing an ideal balance of stiff ness and fl exibility, these materials are also very resistant to stress cracking, making them ideal for buried pipelines installed by trenchless (i.e. no dig) methods.

WWA : How has the water industry evolved in the past few years?

YOUSSEF : The water industry has evolved as a whole, with signifi cant changes seen across various segments of the value chain. Makers of pipe extrusion machines are now producing units that can manufacture pressure pipes of up to OD 3m and spiral wound non-pressure pipes of up to OD 4m.

For water supply pipelines, there is growing emphasis on the importance of using quality materials such as pre-compounded black PE100 because of the way they impact the costs of producing and maintaining the network across its entire operating lifetime (i.e. whole life costs).

WWA : Which markets are new for Borouge, and how do you intend to embark on that journey?

YOUSSEF : Borouge is increasing its activity in emerging markets across Southeast Asia and Africa, where issues such as water scarcity and aging water infrastructure have led to a growing awareness of how water security can be improved with modern infrastructure solutions such as PE100. Water supply pipes made from PE100 can be welded together to form leak free networks that are durable enough to accommodate ground movements.

To support our growth plans in these markets and beyond, we will be boosting production of pre-compounded black PE solutions for pressure pipe applications by investing in a production unit at our plant in Ruwais, Abu Dhabi, which is expected to be completed within 2020.

WWA : Are there developments in Asia that you foresee might impact Borouge?

YOUSSEF : China’s National Standards Committee SAC/TC48/SC3 has recently updated the country’s national standards governing the use of PE materials for water distribution applications. This new development - which recommends that utilities providers use only ready-made PE compounds for the manufacturing of drinking water pipes – will raise China’s national standards for PE water piping, bringing them closer to those of the internationally recognised and widely referenced ISO4427 standard.

Pre-compounded black PE100 is ready to use, does not require further mixing with colour additives and enables the even distribution of carbon black particles for fully homogeneous pipes with long-term UV protection and excellent mechanical properties. Borouge has a long and proven track record in pre-compounded black PE100 and is well poised to support the anticipated growth in Chinese demand for the material with our increased production capacity come 2020.

WWA : Going forward, where is the future of the water industry in Asia?

YOUSSEF : Water scarcity exacerbated by population growth, urbanisation, climate change and the pollution of water catchment areas remains a challenge for the Asian water industry. Water utilities will face growing pressure to increase their operating effi ciency in both the upstream water treatment and downstream water supply and wastewater collection segments.

However, with the growing awareness and acceptance of polyolefi n materials for water infrastructure, PE and PP solutions are poised to gain ground over traditional materials thanks to their mechanical strength, excellent environmental sustainability and lower whole life cost.

On top of this, we are seeing how PP and PE materials are versatile enough to be used for unique types of non-piping water infrastructure. For instance, our BorECO™ solutions have been used for the production of rainwater harvesting boxes, which are a temporary collection and channelling solution for excess rainwater. WWA