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Asian Chemical Connections

North America’s Oil and Gas Potential

By Malini Hariharan The energy landscape in North America is rapidly changing. After shale gas the focus has shifted to rising oil production from various unconventional sources, which has prompted some commentators to predict that the region will regain its status as a major global producer. In a new report, analysts at Citibank confidently predict that […]

It’s All About Shale Gas

By Malini Hariharan As expected, excitement around shale gas is running strong at the CERAWeek conference in Houston. But an element of caution is also visible with the majors appearing to be in no rush to finalise their investments. Shell is still a few years away from taking a final investment decision on a proposed […]

Methanol moves

By Malini Hariharan Recent moves by methanol majors to boost their capacities have caught the blog’s attention. Sabic’s chief financial officer Mutlaq al-Morished disclosed at a press conference yesterday in Dubai that the company is in talks for a methanol project in Trinidad and Tobago. Morished declined to provide details as the talks were being […]

Fresh US sanctions to target Iran petchems

By Malini Hariharan The US is looking to introduce fresh measures targeted at the petrochemicals industry. The specifics of the new sanctions are not yet available but the goal, says this report, is to bar foreign companies from doing business with Iran’s petrochemical industry by threatening them with being banned from U.S. markets. US companies […]

Restocking lifts polyolefins prices

By Malini Hariharan Polyolefins prices in the key China markets inched up last week thanks to an uptick in buying activity. Prices of high-density polyethylene (HDPE) blow moulding and film grades moved up $20/tonne while linear-low density PE prices were up $30/tonne, reports ICIS pricing. Polypropylene prices were also up $10-20/tonne However, opinion continues to […]

Marcellus shale cut down to size

By Malini Hariharan The blog has been reading with interest a recent report about the Energy Information Administration (EIA) cutting its estimate of the Marcellus shale gas reserves by 80% following a recent study by the US Geological Survey (USGS). The USGS has estimated that the Marcellus field, which stretches from New York to Virginia, […]

Cotton corrects; will polyester follow?

By Malini Hariharan After last year’s stunning rise, cotton prices have plunged 53% in the last four months from a 140-year peak of $2.15/lb on 4 March. Prices have fallen 38% in July with cotton for December delivery quoted at 98.63 cents/lb on the Intercontinental Exchange. The swift correction in prices is based on expected […]

Banking on gas

By Malini Hariharan Is the International Energy Agency (IEA) being extremely bullish in predicting a ‘golden age’ for natural gas over the next 25 years? In a recently released report (available here) the IEA forecasts a 55% growth in global demand to 5.1 trillion cubic metre (tcm) in 2035 driven mainly by China, India and […]

To frack or not to frack…

By Malini Hariharan …is a debate that has starting moving out of the US. A desire for energy independence has seen countries like Poland to embrace shale gas with the government welcoming US companies to quickly develop the country’s reserves, estimated at 5.3 trillion cubic metres. This would be enough to meet Poland’s annual gas […]

Will the US lead the next olefins wave?

By Malini Hariharan A few weeks back after a post on the rise of shale gas the blog was asked a question about new petrochemical investments in North Americas. Were they feasible? Would ethane prices remain attractive for the long term especially considering the recent run up in spot prices. Well, companies are certainly confident, […]

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