By John Richardson OVERCONFIDENCE is perhaps the biggest risk for 2011 as a result of sales volumes that have this year exceeded even the most wildly optimistic forecasts. The danger is that we have yet to see the worst of this current petrochemicals cycle. Companies and chemicals analysts might have got a little ahead […]
Asian Chemical Connections
US Shale Gas: The Truth Versus Perception
Source of picture: alfin2100blogspot.com By John Richardson SINCE when has the truth mattered in the battle between environmentalists and the oil, gas and chemicals industries? This is a game of perception on both sides as estimates of risk are heavily subject to data that is either biased in the way it is collected or […]
A Happy Festive Season To All Our Readers
Source of picture: anahoyhanioblogspot.com By John Richardson THE blog will be taking a few days off this week as ’tis the season to be Merry’, regardless of what you may think is our rather cynical and often-times pessimistic view of the chemicals industry. We will come roaring back towards the end of this week by the […]
India’s plastic problems
By Malini Hariharan A surprise court order in India earlier this month has put pressure on plastic packaging and has raised the risk of restrictions on its use in a very popular segment – cheap sachets or pouches that are used to pack a wide variety of consumer products ranging from shampoo to tobacco. The […]
One more view on the cycle
By Malini Hariharan The debate on the next petrochemical upcycle is heating up. After confident forecasts of a “supercycle” the blog is increasingly hearing more cautious assessments Take the recent report from Credit Suisse which stresses that while conditions for a period of bumper margins are favourable there are still many uncertainties. Pic source: avalonwine.com […]
Will Three Still End Up As One in Qatar?
By John Richardson SHELL Chemicals announcement that it has signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) for a cracker and derivatives project in Qatar seems to have upped the ante in what could be a struggle for only one parcel of feedstock. Graeme Burnett, Total Petrochemical’s senior vice president for Asia and the Middle East, in […]
A subdued end to a good year
By Malini Hariharan Petrochemical markets, with a few exceptions, will be closing the year on a quiet note. In polyolefins, buying activity in China has slowed down and sentiment remains weak weighed down by the Chinese government’s decision to hike bank reserve requirements. This is despite the recent rally in crude oil prices. Prices of […]
China Polyolefins Divorced From Fundamentals
A permanent separation? Source of picture: edu.com By John Richardson IT IS pretty easy to predict specific events that will cause declines in polyolefins pricing in China next year thanks to the big role that macro-economics now plays in setting the market. No longer do you need to mainly sweat over increasingly difficult polyethylene […]
Asian Inflation And Vietnam Polyolefins
Guess who’s coming to Christmas dinner Source of picture: biology.ucf.edu By John Richardson THE widespread problem of surging inflation in Asia ex-Japan is a major threat to petrochemicals demand growth in 2011. Governments need to put the brakes on to prevent economies from overheating. But the problem is that raising interest rates could […]
Why bother?
By Malini Hariharan After reading news reports about fresh protests against Kuokuang Petrochemical’s proposed refinery and cracker complex in Taiwan the blog is wondering whether the company should be spending time and money in pursuing this ill-fated project. Kuokuang, a joint venture between state-owned CPC Corp and several Taiwanese private companies, has been unable to […]
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