ICIS Blogs : gasoline

FAO wants biofuel support examined and outlines world biofuel capacity

The Big Biofuels Blog — Wed, 08 Oct 2008 10:40:24 GMT

The United Nation's Food and Agriculture Organisation wants subsisidies, tariffs and tax-breaks for biofuels production examined and possibly reduced in a press release which marks the publication of its annual report The State of Food . That report...(read more)

Hurricane Ike photos from Heather in Houston

ICIS Chemicals Confidential — Tue, 16 Sep 2008 16:20:19 GMT

Heather in ICIS Houston has sent me a link to her 87 photos of Hurricane Ike devastation in the Houston area. Here are a few of the more spectacular ones. "They were taken in my neighborhood - League City, Texas. I think the Valero service station...(read more)

Back-to-school haircuts and shoes

ICIS Chemicals Confidential — Mon, 08 Sep 2008 17:00:52 GMT

I wonder if the world's most famous hockey mom is spending any time right now getting back-to-school haircuts and new shoes for her kids. Probably not, as the Alaskan school term runs from 20 August, but here in London the capital's hairdressers...(read more)

US ethanol replaced about 2.6% of gasoline demand

The Big Biofuels Blog — Fri, 29 Aug 2008 11:48:34 GMT

US this year diverted 24.5% of its corn crop into ethanol production and replaced 2.65% of the total US demand for road transportation fuels -- assuming that the 2007 figures for fuel use will be around the same as 2006, according to figures from the...(read more)

Filled Up With Faith

Asian Chemical Connections — Fri, 15 Aug 2008 09:15:03 GMT

Only in America, surely. If I had made this up you wouldn't have believed me. Rocky Twyman (see picture above), Founder of the Pray For The Pump Movement, and his pals have been touring the US asking the big guy in the sky to intervene and bring down...(read more)

Bus travel boosts crude supply for petchems

ICIS Chemicals Confidential — Mon, 28 Jul 2008 12:57:16 GMT

"Why haven't you written about the joys of travelling by bus?" Julia our resident 4x4 driver asks me as I am putting on my shades and heading out into the late afternoon sunshine to hang out at the local bus stop. It's true that in the...(read more)

True confessions: Julia is a 4x4 driver

ICIS Chemicals Confidential — Wed, 23 Jul 2008 10:00:48 GMT

My colleague Julia confesses to her weakness for a powerful motor ... I am a 4x4 driver. Actually, I'm now a non-4x4 driver since the cost of driving has become astronomical. A Mercedes ML 320 is good-looking beast, drives like a dream and is safe...(read more)

Hybrids do not make financial sense?

Green Chemicals — Thu, 10 Jul 2008 14:37:27 GMT

Sales might be up for hybrids but according to this study only a handful of hybrid cars make solid financial sense. The vehicle pricing and information site NADAguides.com said consumers who are thinking of purchasing a hybrid car solely to save money...(read more)

Carbon tax pains now in Canada

Green Chemicals — Thu, 03 Jul 2008 09:43:31 GMT

Should consumers directly pay for fossil fuel-based carbon emissions? Some Canadian officials seem to think so as drivers in British Columbia is now greeted with the tax with some gasoline stations raising their gasoline prices to cover the tax costs...(read more)

History will surely repeat itself

Asian Chemical Connections — Tue, 08 Apr 2008 07:05:45 GMT

The mood at the recent NPRA International Petrochemical Conference in San Antonio, Texas, was mixed, despite all the economic gloom. Some producers said they were still making money - especially those selling into manufacturing sectors benefiting from...(read more)

The Grim Reaper readies himself

Asian Chemical Connections — Fri, 07 Dec 2007 11:33:37 GMT

See below for an extended analysis of why everything is about to go wrong. Looking forward to picking up some bargain chemical shares over the next two years and some cheap US and UK property! As the Asian head of M&A and acqusitions for a major bank...(read more)