Ben van Beurden of Shell Chemicals Source of picture: Shell.com By John Richardson SINGAPORE looks set to soon make some further announcements on high-value investments downstream of the new Shell Eastern Petrochemical Co (SEPC) cracker. The complex – which comprises an 800,000 tonne/year mixed-feed cracker and a 750,000 tonne/year OMEGA process monoethylene glycol […]
Asian Chemical Connections
China: Yet More Record Imports
By John Richardson The extraordinary China import story continues, raising yet more questions about where all these volumes are going at a time when the government is trying to cool the economy down. Does this mean that speculation continues apace because of all the money still sloshing around the economy thanks to last year’s record […]
Reliance eyes 2014 start for Jamnagar cracker
By Malini Hariharan Reliance Industries is moving ahead with its Jamnagar cracker project and is looking at completing it in 2014, reports ICIS news. Preliminary activity on the project, which was put on hold after the 2008 economic crisis, has resumed. Discussions are on for technology selection and a firm start up date will be […]
Commodity Stockpiles A Risky Bet
By John Richardson Inventories of copper, aluminium, lead and nickel have risen as prices for all these commodities have also surged, says this article in The Economist. Source of graph: The Economists Copper stocks total half a million tonnes in metals-exchanges warehouses in what HSBC analyst Andrew Keen describes as a market […]
Muddled Messages Over Yuan Revaluation
Source of picture: www.thewecc.com By John Richardson Confusing messages continue to emerge from Beijing over whether a revaluation of the Yuan is imminent, a debate that has major implications for the chemicals industry. The Financial Times reported this morning that senior government economist Ba Shusong had said that China could widen the currency’s […]
IOC moves ahead with Panipat cracker
By Malini Hariharan Commissioning activity at Indian Oil Corp’s (IOC) new cracker and derivatives complex at Panipat, India, is progressing well, according to a company source. Operations at the new 857,000 tonnes/year cracker have started. “Onspec propylene is in the storage tank and ethylene is expected in a day or two,” he said. Among the […]
Speed Of China’s Growth Triggers New Official Warning
By John Richardson The chairman of China Construction Bank has spoken about the dangers created by China’s GDP (gross domestic product) expanding by more than 9.5% in 2010, which, according to many analysts, seems highly likely: GDP is estimated to have risen by 11-12% in Q1. “It (too-rapid growth) will mean more duplication of construction, […]
Formosa awaits approval for big expansions in China
By Malini Hariharan In a research note released today, UBS has highlighted plans by Formosa Chemical and Fibres (FCFC) for major expansions at Ningbo, China. The Taiwanese petrochemicals major is in the process of getting Chinese government approval for a new 1.5m tonnes/year PTA plant, a 200,000 tonnes/year PS unit and a 150,000 tonnes/year ABS […]
Bright Future Predicted for Saudi Private Cos
Riyadh Source of picture: help.berberber.com By John Richardson PRIVATE Saudi Arabian petrochemical companies need not fret about the ethane-gas shortage that two sources had last week told us would hold up their development, according a third industry source we spoke to today, who is based in the Middle East. “The private companies I’ve spoken […]
No More Gas For Saudi Private Cos – Industry Source
Ras Tanura in Saudi – private companies bunkered by feedstock shortage? By John Richardson The gas feedstock shortages in Saudi Arabia – which we have commented on before – are such that no private company will receive any allocations in the future, claimed an industry source. “It’s only going to be for Saudi Aramco and […]
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