http://www.icis.com/v2/rss/newsfeeds/precanned/middle+east+africa.xmlICIS Middle East / Africa news headlinesLatest Middle East / Africa news headlines from ICIS.comen-us© 2013 Reed Business Information Limited. All Rights Reserved10http://www.icis.com/images/logo_icis.gifhttp://www.icis.com/v2/rss/newsfeeds/precanned/middle+east+africa.xmlSouth African rand at four-year low hurts PE, PP importshttp://www.icis.com/Articles/2013/05/21/9670832/South+African+rand+at+fouryear+low+hurts+PE,+PP+imports.htmlLONDON (ICIS)--A further weakening of the South African rand against the US dollar is causing difficulties for South African importers of polyethylene...http://www.icis.com/Articles/2013/05/21/9670832/South+African+rand+at+fouryear+low+hurts+PE,+PP+imports.htmlTue, 21 May 2013 16:55:00 GMTSaudi SABIC opens thermoplastics, PP compounding facility in Jubailhttp://www.icis.com/Articles/2013/05/20/9670432/Saudi+SABIC+opens+thermoplastics,+PP+compounding+facility+in+Jubail.htmlLONDON (ICIS)--SABIC has opened its first engineering thermoplastics compounding facility, along with a new polypropylene (PP) compounding plant in...http://www.icis.com/Articles/2013/05/20/9670432/Saudi+SABIC+opens+thermoplastics,+PP+compounding+facility+in+Jubail.htmlMon, 20 May 2013 16:49:00 GMTCHINAPLAS '13: SABIC to start up new Yanbu PET plant in Q4 2013http://www.icis.com/Articles/2013/05/20/9670179/CHINAPLAS+13+SABIC+to+start+up+new+Yanbu+PET+plant+in+Q4+2013.htmlGUANGZHOU (ICIS)--Saudi Arabia’s SABIC plans to start up its new 420,000 tonne/year polyethylene terephthalate (PET) plant at Yanbu at the end of...http://www.icis.com/Articles/2013/05/20/9670179/CHINAPLAS+13+SABIC+to+start+up+new+Yanbu+PET+plant+in+Q4+2013.htmlMon, 20 May 2013 08:57:00 GMTCHINAPLAS '13: Muntajat to leverage on QAPCO, Qatofin structureshttp://www.icis.com/Articles/2013/05/20/9670168/CHINAPLAS+13+Muntajat+to+leverage+on+QAPCO,+Qatofin+structures.htmlBy Chow Bee Lin GUANGZHOU (ICIS)--Qatar’s Muntajat will carefully evaluate how to leverage on the structures in Qatar Petrochemical Company (QAPCO)...http://www.icis.com/Articles/2013/05/20/9670168/CHINAPLAS+13+Muntajat+to+leverage+on+QAPCO,+Qatofin+structures.htmlMon, 20 May 2013 03:29:00 GMTMPC restarts Saudi ammonia plant and DAP unit after maintenancehttp://www.icis.com/Articles/2013/05/20/9670164/MPC+restarts+Saudi+ammonia+plant+and+DAP+unit+after+maintenance.htmlLONDON (ICIS)-- Ma'aden Phosphate Co (MPC) has restarted ammonia and diammonium phosphate (DAP) production at the firm's complex in Ras Al Khair,...http://www.icis.com/Articles/2013/05/20/9670164/MPC+restarts+Saudi+ammonia+plant+and+DAP+unit+after+maintenance.htmlMon, 20 May 2013 03:20:00 GMTAfrica polyethylene prices fall by 3-8% since mid-Marchhttp://www.icis.com/Articles/2013/05/17/9670099/Africa+polyethylene+prices+fall+by+38+since+midMarch.htmlLONDON (ICIS)--African polyethylene (PE) prices have fallen by 3-8%, depending on grade and region, since mid-March, ICIS data showed on Friday. This...http://www.icis.com/Articles/2013/05/17/9670099/Africa+polyethylene+prices+fall+by+38+since+midMarch.htmlFri, 17 May 2013 17:20:00 GMTOutlook for Egypt PE, PP markets uncertainhttp://www.icis.com/Articles/2013/05/17/9670055/Outlook+for+Egypt+PE,+PP+markets+uncertain.htmlLONDON (ICIS)--Despite some improvement in business following a $2bn bailout from Libya last month, the outlook for the polyethylene (PE) and...http://www.icis.com/Articles/2013/05/17/9670055/Outlook+for+Egypt+PE,+PP+markets+uncertain.htmlFri, 17 May 2013 13:21:00 GMTSaudi Arabia's SHARQ cancels No 4 MEG unit shutdownhttp://www.icis.com/Articles/2013/05/17/9669587/Saudi+Arabias+SHARQ+cancels+No+4+MEG+unit+shutdown.htmlSINGAPORE (ICIS)--Saudi Arabia’s Eastern Petrochemical’s (SHARQ) has cancelled a planned shutdown of its 700,000 tonne/year No 4 monoethlyene...http://www.icis.com/Articles/2013/05/17/9669587/Saudi+Arabias+SHARQ+cancels+No+4+MEG+unit+shutdown.htmlFri, 17 May 2013 09:07:17 GMTIran plans $1bn expansion for Asaluyeh petrochemical complexhttp://www.icis.com/Articles/2013/05/17/9669573/Iran+plans+1bn+expansion+for+Asaluyeh+petrochemical+complex.htmlASALUYEH (ICIS)--Iran plans to build more petrochemical plants in the Asaluyeh industrial complex that will require investments of more than $1bn...http://www.icis.com/Articles/2013/05/17/9669573/Iran+plans+1bn+expansion+for+Asaluyeh+petrochemical+complex.htmlFri, 17 May 2013 06:35:00 GMTSouthern African liquid caustic soda prices drop on poor demandhttp://www.icis.com/Articles/2013/05/16/9669502/Southern+African+liquid+caustic+soda+prices+drop+on+poor+demand.htmlLONDON (ICIS)--Southern African liquid caustic soda prices could fall to $400/dmt (€312/tonne) cost and freight (CFR) Durban by July because of poor...http://www.icis.com/Articles/2013/05/16/9669502/Southern+African+liquid+caustic+soda+prices+drop+on+poor+demand.htmlThu, 16 May 2013 16:43:00 GMTIran’s Sepehr Energy to start up new petchem units, gas plants by 2018http://www.icis.com/Articles/2013/05/16/9669481/Irans+Sepehr+Energy+to+start+up+new+petchem+units,+gas+plants+by+2018.htmlTEHRAN (ICIS)--Iran’s Sepehr Energy Corp plans to complete a number of new projects by 2018, including three methanol units, three gas refineries,...http://www.icis.com/Articles/2013/05/16/9669481/Irans+Sepehr+Energy+to+start+up+new+petchem+units,+gas+plants+by+2018.htmlThu, 16 May 2013 14:59:00 GMTKuwait Petroleum sells 24,000 tonnes light naphtha for end-Mayhttp://www.icis.com/Articles/2013/05/16/9669064/Kuwait+Petroleum+sells+24,000+tonnes+light+naphtha+for+endMay.htmlSINGAPORE (ICIS)--Kuwait Petroleum Corp (KPC) has sold 24,000 tonnes of spot light naphtha for loading in late May, said a source familiar with the...http://www.icis.com/Articles/2013/05/16/9669064/Kuwait+Petroleum+sells+24,000+tonnes+light+naphtha+for+endMay.htmlThu, 16 May 2013 10:45:00 GMTAfrica PE, PP producers’ attempts to lift prices could be resistedhttp://www.icis.com/Articles/2013/05/15/9668926/Africa+PE,+PP+producers+attempts+to+lift+prices+could+be+resisted.htmlLONDON (ICIS)--Any attempts by polyethylene (PE) and polypropylene (PP) producers to increase June offer prices for African PE and PP could meet...http://www.icis.com/Articles/2013/05/15/9668926/Africa+PE,+PP+producers+attempts+to+lift+prices+could+be+resisted.htmlWed, 15 May 2013 13:44:00 GMTIran to start up ethane cracker, PE facility at Chabahar by 2020http://www.icis.com/Articles/2013/05/15/9668513/Iran+to+start+up+ethane+cracker,+PE+facility+at+Chabahar+by+2020.htmlTEHRAN (ICIS)--An ethane cracker and three polyethylene (PE) plants are being planned as part of a mega petrochemicals and fertiliser project in...http://www.icis.com/Articles/2013/05/15/9668513/Iran+to+start+up+ethane+cracker,+PE+facility+at+Chabahar+by+2020.htmlWed, 15 May 2013 04:30:00 GMTIran planning more petrochemical projects in Mahshahrhttp://www.icis.com/Articles/2013/05/14/9668504/Iran+planning+more+petrochemical+projects+in+Mahshahr.htmlTEHRAN (ICIS)-- Iran has plans for developing petrochemical industries in Mahshahr in the southwest part of the country, an economic official said on...http://www.icis.com/Articles/2013/05/14/9668504/Iran+planning+more+petrochemical+projects+in+Mahshahr.htmlTue, 14 May 2013 23:37:00 GMTIran identifies Chabahar as new petrochemical sitehttp://www.icis.com/Articles/2013/05/14/9668503/Iran+identifies+Chabahar+as+new+petrochemical+site.htmlTEHRAN (ICIS)-- Iran has identified Chabahar in southern Iran as a new site on which major petrochemical and fertilizer projects can be built, an...http://www.icis.com/Articles/2013/05/14/9668503/Iran+identifies+Chabahar+as+new+petrochemical+site.htmlTue, 14 May 2013 23:22:00 GMTIran's Kordestan, Mahabad Petrochemicals to start PE plants in 2014http://www.icis.com/Articles/2013/05/14/9668468/Irans+Kordestan,+Mahabad+Petrochemicals+to+start+PE+plants+in+2014.htmlTEHRAN (ICIS)—Iran’s Kordestan Petrochemicals and Mahabad Petrochemicals, both subsidiaries of Bakhtar Petrochemical, are expected to start their...http://www.icis.com/Articles/2013/05/14/9668468/Irans+Kordestan,+Mahabad+Petrochemicals+to+start+PE+plants+in+2014.htmlTue, 14 May 2013 18:32:00 GMTIran's Kermanshah Petrochemicals reaches 100% output at HDPE planthttp://www.icis.com/Articles/2013/05/14/9668466/Irans+Kermanshah+Petrochemicals+reaches+100+output+at+HDPE+plant.htmlTEHRAN (ICIS)—Kermanshah Petrochemicals’ 300,000 tonne/year high density polyethylene (HDPE) plant in the Kermanshah province in western Iran, has...http://www.icis.com/Articles/2013/05/14/9668466/Irans+Kermanshah+Petrochemicals+reaches+100+output+at+HDPE+plant.htmlTue, 14 May 2013 18:18:00 GMTIran’s Lorestan Petrochemical to start up LLDPE plant by end 2013http://www.icis.com/Articles/2013/05/14/9668461/Irans+Lorestan+Petrochemical+to+start+up+LLDPE+plant+by+end+2013.htmlTEHRAN (ICIS)--Lorestan Petrochemical’s 300,000 tonne/year linear low density polyethylene (LLDPE) plant in Khorramabad, Iran, is expected to start...http://www.icis.com/Articles/2013/05/14/9668461/Irans+Lorestan+Petrochemical+to+start+up+LLDPE+plant+by+end+2013.htmlTue, 14 May 2013 18:05:00 GMTKavian Petrochemicals’ 2nd ethane cracker at pre-commissioning stagehttp://www.icis.com/Articles/2013/05/14/9668464/Kavian+Petrochemicals+2nd+ethane+cracker+at+precommissioning+stage.htmlTEHRAN (ICIS)--Kavian Petrochemicals’ second 1m tonne/year ethane cracker at Assaluyeh in Iran’s Bushehr province, is at the pre-commissioning...http://www.icis.com/Articles/2013/05/14/9668464/Kavian+Petrochemicals+2nd+ethane+cracker+at+precommissioning+stage.htmlTue, 14 May 2013 18:03:00 GMT