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Asian Chemical Connections

China Tries To Transform Itself

By John Richardson CAN China succeed in transforming its economy from one which is over-reliant on exports to one where domestic consumption is a much bigger driver of growth? And how long will this process take and in the interim, can we expect a few years of lower GDP (gross domestic product) growth? As delegates […]

Constant Search For Feedstock Advantage

By John Richardson AROUND $6bn worth of proposed petrochemical investments in Kazakhstan – the giant central Asian country with abundant oil and gas reserves – once again confirms the three most important factors for success: Feedstock, feedstock and feedstock. “The gas that will supply these projects is sufficiently advantaged to overcome major construction and logistics […]

China looks for LPG

By Malini Hariharan The blog has been trying to get more information on what’s driving Chinese interest in liquefied petroleum gas (LPG)-based petrochemical projects. Plans for eight propane dehydrogenation (PDH) plants have already been announced and more could be in the pipeline as Chinese companies believe the country’s propylene deficit will expand in the coming […]

Is China getting serious?

By Malini Hariharan The Chinese government’s position on environmental safety has always been difficult to read. The official position for the last few years has been to reduce pollution by closing down old factories and forcing companies to invest in new technologies. But implementation has been sketchy as other priorities such as preserving jobs or […]

China H2 GDP Growth Only 5%

By John Richardson CHINA’S economy would only expand by 5% in H2 of this year and in the first half of 2012 on an annualised basis, said Diana Choyleva, a Hong Kong-based economist for Lombard Street Research. This was the result of credit tightening as China continued to battle inflation and a slump in export orders for manufactured goods on […]

When I’m 64

Will you still need me? Will you still feed me? The Beatles asked the right questions back in 1967, when singing ‘When I’m Sixty-Four’ on their iconic Sergeant Pepper album. What would happen to the Western BabyBoomers when they became 64? Would they be about to die, as had been the case with previous generations? […]

A Dramatic Difference In Mood

By John Richardson THE big difference in the mood at the ground level of certain parts of the petrochemicals industry compared with that of company board members and investors was thrown into further stark relief earlier this week. As we discussed on Tuesday, the big polyolefins sector of this industry continues to struggle in China. Growth […]

Speculation Drives China Methanol

By Malini Hariharan Methanol continues to be an exception to the general weakness seen in Asian petrochemical markets. Spot prices have crossed $410/tonne in the important China market and could remain firm for the rest of the year. Prices have risen by 11% in the last month. Chinese speculators have been driving up prices as […]

Saudi gas shortage and Iran gas price hikes

By Malini Hariharan The gas shortage in the Middle East, especially Saudi Arabia, has been well documented with the situation expected to ease in the longer term once investments in new processing plants have been completed. But in a recent report on the emerging market for LNG, Facts Global Energy (FGE) points out that more […]

The Fear Factor Dominates

By John Richardson EVERYWHERE you turn it is bad as fear over the future dominates the mood of polyolefin producers and buyers. Aversion to risk seems to have increased because of the concern that this could be September 2008 all over again. Hand-to-mouth buying is the norm as no purchasing manager who values his or […]

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