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Asian Chemical Connections

Assessing Real Versus Sensationalised Risks

  Source of picture: www.sierraclubgreenhome.com   By John Richardson WHEN the bisphenol-A (BPA) health scare erupted a couple of years ago I rushed out and changed all my baby boy’s milk bottles to ones made from polypropylene (PP). “Did you know that there are concerns now being expressed in Europe about the plasticisers used in […]

German World Cup Win And A Double-Dip Recession?

                                                                                                                Please, please not again… Source of picture: soccernet.espn.go.com     By John Richardson The dreadful state of China’s polyethylene (PE) market will last for at least the next two months as a result of the overstocking we talked about earlier this week and poor demand, two polyolefin traders told the blog today. And […]

Ethylene Margins Plunge On PE Rate Cuts

By John Richardson THE steep decline in Asian ethylene margins – detailed in the chart below from the ICIS pricing weekly margin report – seems to be largely the result of the worrying state of China’s polyethylene (PE) market, which we discussed yesterday.   “The Saudis have reduced their PE operating rates, resulting in an […]

Chemicals Growth Story Gets More Complicated

A Velozzi plug-in hybrid Source of picture: www.zerauto.nl.blog   By John Richardson Doom-mongers are claiming the end is nigh with the world heading for a double-dip recession. This is happening at the same as the optimists are talking of the world entering a new sunny upland of sustained exceptionally strong emerging-market growth, which will more-than […]

US Needs A Serious, Informed Energy Debate

Will he back raising fuel prices to European levels? Source of picture: sociologycompass.wordpress.com   By John Richardson IN the midst of the continuing BP oil-spill saga, here’s an important question for our American readers: Once the story is forgotten, meaning when it drops out of the 24-hour-news cycle, will you be willing to back tougher […]

BMS Plans New Asia Polycarbonate

  By John Richardson Bayer Material Science (BMS) has announced plans for a new polycarbonate ((PC) plant in Asia in another sign of confidence that the chemicals industry, despite major macro-economic threats, is continuing to benefit from the continent’s soaring growth. BMS will make a decision on whether to build a new polycarbonate plant either […]

Petronas Restructuring Details Emerge

Petronas seeks to scale new heights Source of picture: www.mir.com By John Richardson MORE details have emerged concerning the major restructuring taking place at Petronas, the Malaysian state-owned oil, gas, refining and petrochemicals major. Vice-presidents have being appointed to head new downstream (refining and petrochemicals), upstream (exploration and production) and finance divisions, a source familiar […]

Being Miserable As A Profession

Never look on the bright side of life… Source of picture: thescratchingshed.com By John Richardson – fresh back from a long break in Europe (more on this later). “If you keep predicting a catastrophe, John, you will eventually be proved right,” a senior executive from a major Asian petrochemicals producer told me in mid-2007. At […]

GCC gas shortage expected to last till 2015

By Malini Hariharan After enjoying years of plentiful supplies the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries face a gas shortage that could last another five years, says consultancy Booz & Co. And this is happening at a time when other countries around of the world, especially the US, are seeing a surge in availability. Source: Booz […]

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