By Malini Hariharan Some projects never die. JG Summit has been planning a cracker since 1995 but has always had problems in securing funding. The project was revived in 2005 even as questions were raised about its viability. It would help JG Summit secure feedstock for its polyethylene and polypropylene plants, but how would it […]
Asian Chemical Connections
China PO demand will continue to expand but slower than capacity
By John Richardson China’s capacity to produce polyethylene and polypropylene will expand at a double-digit pace next year, while demand growth is expected to ease, says Longston Li, analyst at Shanghai-based CBI. CBI expects China’s polyethylene (PE) capacity would jump by 1.99m tonnes in 2010 to 11.1m tonnes, while its polypropylene (PP) capacity would increase […]
Concerned about the Asean FTA? There’s not much you can do about it.
The implementation of a zero-tariff regime in Asean from 1 Jauary 2010 has raised concerns among polymer producers in Indonesia and the Philippines about intense competition from Singapore and Thailand leading to a erosion in market shares. Producers from these two countries are lobbying to defer or block implementation of zero tariffs. But a trade […]
Qatar says there will be one more cracker
By Malini Hariharan Qatar has reconfirmed its commitment to build more petrochemical plants including a new worldscale cracker. At a ceremony to mark the start of construction of Qapco’s new ldPE project, the deputy premier and minister of energy and industry said Qatar was launching an aggressive plan to achieve optimal utilization of the country’s […]
Recycling Dip Boosts China By 8-10 Percentage Points
It can be a dirty business…. Source of picture: www.China-environmental-news-blogspot.com By John Richardson THE sharp drop in plastics recycling in China has added 8-10 percentage points to virgin polyolefin demand growth in 2009, estimates a major Asian producer. “It’s a much bigger than we had anticipated and we’re of course evaluating whether recycling […]
Crude, Equities & Polyolefin Pricing
This is a huge subject, one that this blog will need to keep revisiting – and if you tell us we’ve got it wrong, we’ll always listen and respond. For what it’s worth, the article below might give you some food for thought. The influence of crude we are talking about below is different from […]
Reliance moving fast on LyondellBasell bid
By Malini Hariharan Reliance Industries’ bid to acquire LyondellBasell is progressing quite rapidly. I am told that a team of top executives from the company is in the US holding discussions with LyondellBasell. And according to this report in the Houston Chronicle, the team has also been enjoying Indian food in Houston. My source tells […]
China’s Growth In 2010: Two Theories
More buying of junk in H1 next year that nobody really needs? Source: www.blogcleveland.com By John Richardson TWO theories about growth in China next year revolve around either an appreciation or devaluation of the Yuan. The appreciation theory is far more widespread as it assumes no global double-dip economic recession. It’s assumed that […]
Thai Start-ups: What A Muddle
A real head scratcher…… Source of picture: www/http://blogs.miaminewtimes.com By John Richardson Confused? Sorry, but so far we cannot be of much help bringing any precision to what the implications of Thailand’s Supreme Court ruling will mean for the timing of petrochemical start-ups. If you remember, last Friday we wrote about how the Supreme Court […]
China PE To Grow By 35% – Latest ’09 Forecast
Money to be made, or saved, again?….. Source of picture: www.evworld.com After last week’s estimates, a big producer (who wishes to remain anonymous) has given us his forecasts for the strength of 2009 growth in demand for polyolefins in China – see full details in the article below. Interestingly, he saw the dip in […]
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