India Chemicals Blog

Ready for rubber

Indian Oil Corp (IOC) recent financial woes do not appear to have dampened its interest in petrochemicals. After pushing back plans for a paraxylene (PX), polypropylene (PP) and styrene plants downstream of a proposed refinery at Paradip, it is interesting...

Posted by Malini Hariharan on August 1, 2008 7:56 AM

Paradip update

I had written about a delay in Indian Oil Corp's (IOC) paraxylene (PX), polypropylene (PP) and styrene projects at Paradip because of rising costs and financial constraints. But a company source tells me that a final decision on the timing...

Posted by Malini Hariharan on June 13, 2008 2:02 PM

Paradip petchems postponed

After years of planning and crossing many hurdles IOC has now decided to defer the petrochemical portion of its Paradip project. The decision comes at a time when the company is struggling to cope with huge losses on account of...

Posted by Malini Hariharan on May 29, 2008 6:23 AM

Another one bites the dust?

Yet another project appears to be fallen through. This time it is Chennai Petroleum Corp's (CPCL) refining and petrochemicals venture at Ennore in Tamil Nadu. Indian Oil Corp's (IOC) chairman Sarthuk Behuria said in a press conference yesterday that the...

Posted by Malini Hariharan on May 16, 2008 11:34 AM

Projects and protests

I am back from my holiday and have discovered no earthshaking developments in the last few weeks. But the following news articles caught my eye. First, Dow Chemical’s European arm and GACL have agreed on a 50:50 joint venture to...

Posted by Malini Hariharan on April 23, 2008 7:40 AM

Trouble at Paradip

I was under the impression that there are no major hurdles to Indian Oil Corp’s (IOC) refinery and petrochemical project at Paradip. But I came across this news yesterday that the viability of the project is in question following the...

Posted by Malini Hariharan on April 1, 2008 2:00 AM

Awash with paraxylene

There is one more paraxylene (PX) plant being planned in India and it is Indian Oil Corp (IOC) again. IOC is said to be studying a plant next to its refinery in Vadodara, Gujarat and has received preliminary approval from...

Posted by Malini Hariharan on January 24, 2008 10:47 AM

IOC invited to Nayachar

I have found the answer to my question in last week’s posting on the proposed chemical hub at Nayachar, West Bengal. I had wondered which public sector company would be targeted by the West Bengal government for investment at Nayachar....

Posted by Malini Hariharan on January 7, 2008 11:05 AM

IOC eyes Egypt

Indian Oil Corp (IOC) is the latest entrant to Egypt. The country’s oil minister has said that talks are on for a $9bn refinery and petrochemical complex. A feasibility study is likely to be ready by mid-2010 after which IOC...

Posted by Malini Hariharan on December 12, 2007 4:11 AM

Preparing for the future

I am back from the first Asian Chemical and Petrochemical Conference with lots of information on the Indian chemicals industry that I plan to share in the coming days. The conference, jointly organised by ICIS and the Indian Chemical Council...

Posted by Malini Hariharan on October 31, 2007 7:31 AM