Page 31 Advertisement 1

New Zealand Listener, Volume 35, Issue 892, 7 September 1956, Page 31

producing synthetic glycerine: It was therefore a triumph; a scienti- fic victory as important economically as the discovery of the process for binding nitrogen, for the research scientists of the Shell group of oil companies when, after years of effort, they succeeded in making glycerine from other basic materials than fats Or oil From what 3 From cracked gas obtained during the refining process, chlorine and caustic soda. Thus, after exhaustive reseach work in Shell' s laboratories, it is nOw pOS- sible to manufacture the valuable base material glycerine, from petroleum: From Gas to Glycerine No. 7 of a second series ef articles published 63 THE SHELL COMPANY OF NEW ZEA: Glycerine is known to everyone as a tained from the treatment of fats LAND LIMITED (Incorporated in Englandy cure for chapped hands and also as and oils in the manufacture of soap: Above 78 Nickel-clad steel storage tanks for synthetic glycerine at Shell' s chemical plant 0 Houston , Texas. an essential base material in many The quantity available was thesefore Below : Fractionating columas ix the synthetke industries. It is used, for instance, glycerine blant at Houston. dependent on the amount of fats in pharmaceutical and cosmetic pro- processed to make soap: Demand ducts, in printing ink, transparent overtook supply and there was a paper, as a retarding liquid, and world shortage of glycerine: The even by confectioners, to mention situation became worse with the only 4 few examples. outbreak of war. The shortage of Until 1948, the year in which the fats for soap-making became acute the first plant for manufacturing and in turn led to a drastic shortage synthetic glycerine was inaugurated of glycerine: The petroleum industry by the Shell Chemical Corporation came to the rescue in two ways. at Houston, Texas, glycerine was First, by producing synthetic de- only available as a by-product ob- tergents for washing: And secondly, by