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Asian Chemical Connections

ChemaWEyaat shifting to a new site?

By Malini Hariharan One more Middle East project appears to be on the move. Abu Dhabi’s ChemaWEyaat is reportedly shifting its 1.5m tonnes/year cracker and derivatives project from the Khalifa Port and Industrial Zone in Taweelah, to Ruwais in the western part of Abu Dhabi. ChemaWEyaat, the Abu Dhabi Investment Council (ADIC) and International Petroleum […]

Singapore’s New Petrochemicals Strategy

Singapore’s Marina Bay Sands complex   Source of picture: Washington Pos     By John Richardson “SUCCESS in this business, whether you are tracking price direction or planning new investments, is 95% about feedstock,” says a senior European-based sales manager with a global polyolefin producer. So perhaps it shouldn’t be a great surprise that a […]

Saudi PP producers risk more dumping claims

By Malini Hariharan and John Richardson Saudi polypropylene (PP) producers could potentially be hit by anti-dumping duties (ADD) and other duties from more countries if an Indian ruling on an ADD petition sets a legal precedent, said a senior trade lawyer. The Indian authorities have ruled – in response to the petition lodged by local […]

Asian Polyolefins – A Dead Cat Bounce

    Source of picture: anirudhsethireport.com By John Richardson WE reported earlier this week that cautious confidence is being expressed that the worst might be over in polyolefin markets with prices having reached the bottom. “The market seems to be improving and my view there is no much room for further price corrections from a […]

Singapore Confirms Plans For 6-8m tonne/year Ethylene

Jurong Island Source of picture: www.pcs.com.sg   By John Richardson SINGAPORE plans to eventually raise its ethylene capacity to 6-8m tonne/year from the 4m tonne/year which will be reached when ExxonMobil’s second cracker complex at Jurong Island is on-stream, Liang Ting Wee, Director of Energy and Chemicals at the Economic Development Board (EDB), has told […]

Advantage US?

By Malini Hariharan The advent of shale gas and a fall in natural gas prices has already altered the fortunes of US ethane-based petrochemical producers. And now a new report says that the advantage is here to stay. The Energy Information Agency (EIA) estimates that the US has 1,744 tcf (trillion cubic feet) of technically […]

Managing expectations

By Malini Hariharan A spurt in Chinese buying enquiries in the last few days has awakened hopes in some quarters of an upturn in polyolefin pricing with one trader predicting a $50-70/tonne rise in the coming weeks. The prediction, he says, is based on his experience with the commodity cycle – as buyers in China […]

China PE, PP Production Up By 30%

By John Richardson and Malini Hariharan CHINA’S polyethylene (PE) and polypropylene (PP) production surged in January-June this year as imports remained strong and demand growth declined, according to the Shanghai-based commodity information service, CBI. Hopes being expressed that pricing might have bottomed-out therefore seem a tad premature – especially as Asian cracking operating rates are […]

Iranian PE Seen As Threat To China Price Recovery

By John Richardson IRANIAN polyethylene (PE) exports to China could help to cap or even prevent a recovery in pricing during the second half of this year. Although in volume terms, Iranian material only accounts for a small percentage of the total market, in sentiment and therefore price-setting terms, it seems to be playing an […]

What’s next for Honam?

By Malini Hariharan Honam Petrochemical’s plan to acquire Malaysia’s Titan Chemical could well be the start of the South Korean major’s foray overseas. “Honam will keep looking for other M&A opportunities in the chemicals space,” said a source close to the company. Their interest is not only in basic chemicals but also intermediates and speciality […]

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