Several companies recently announced strategic moves to expand their presence in oil and gas, water treatment and hydrogen generation technologies, signaling a focus on innovation and sustainability in critical industrial sectors.

Oil and Gas Products Acquisition

Indovinya, The Woodlands, Texas, global business division of Indorama Ventures, completed on Jan. 31 the acquisition of two brands in the oil and gas sector. The company acquired Kemelix demulsifiers and Flowsolve flow assurance products from Cargill Bioindustrial UK Limited. 

This acquisition includes trademarks, customer relationships, patents, tolling rights and an R&D facility in Houston. 

Merger Targets Water Treatment and Membrane Technologies

In addition, Minneapolis-based Kurita America, part of the Kurita Group, a provider of water treatment solutions, announced its pending merger with sister company, Avista Technologies Inc. The merger will take effect April 1. 

Avista, based in San Marcos, California, specializes in membrane-treatment solutions and process support for reverse osmosis systems, microfiltration/ultrafiltration and multimedia filtration. 

The merger between the two companies reportedly aims to better serve industrial, petrochemical, and municipal markets with combined water-treatment solutions from Kurita and Avita’s membrane treatments.  

Latest Collaboration Focuses on Methanol-to-Hydrogen Generation

Mitsubishi Gas Chemical Company Inc. has signed a memorandum of understanding to collaborate on the development and commercialization of hydrogen solutions using methanol reforming technology. 

The Japanese methanol manufacturer will collaborate with Barcelona-based Methanol Reformer S.L., a methanol-to-hydrogen generator manufacturer, and Element 1 Corp. of Bend, Oregon, a developer of hydrogen generation technology.

Under the terms of the agreement, the three companies will leverage their respective expertise to accelerate the design, manufacture and sales of methanol-to-hydrogen generators, which have been designed under the concept of modular and mass-producible units.