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 […]
Asian Chemical Connections
Shale Gas Confronts BP Oil Disaster Threat
Deepwater disaster expected to impact shale gas Source of picture: Minnpost.com By John Richardson THE booming shale-gas industry could either benefit or suffer from the BP Gulf of Mexico oil-well disaster, with the end-result determined by the effect on energy prices of any long-term clampdown on deepwater and Arctic drilling. Those for and […]
Crisis of confidence
By Malini Hariharan Asian polyolefins (PO) producers are seeing no signs of an immediate recovery in demand and pricing as buyers in the key China market continue to remain on the sidelines. There are just too many negative factors, says one producer referring to concerns about the economic health of Europe, the Chinese government’s efforts […]
Aromatics get complicated
By Malini Hariharan Asian aromatics markets are getting increasingly hard to read not merely because of volatile crude prices. Demand, usually strong at this time of the year, has so far failed to materialise. The US gasoline season has started on a slow note. In Asia, benzene demand has been hit by maintenance shutdowns and […]
Old Assumptions Might Belatedly Change
Source of picture: http://www.andrewgriffithsblog.com/ By John Richardson DOOM-MONGERS are scratching their heads as to why the global petrochemicals industry has remained in such a healthy state over the past 18 months. Old assumptions are, as a result, being challenged. It would be a painful irony if these assumptions are changed just as a […]
Sinopec and Iran’s NPC Sign Investment MOU
Out of the investment deep-freeze? Source: tehrandaily.wordpress.com By John Richardson A VERY interesting story from my colleague Bee Lin Chow on ICIS news today reports the signing of a memorandum of understanding (MOU) between Sinopec and Iran’s National Petrochemical Co (NPC). The agreement will explore joint- venture opportunities in petrochemicals and related businesses in […]
Chemicals Face More Financial Sector Damage
Greed definitely not good for chemicals…. Source of picture: reelmovienews.com By John Richardson THE chemicals industry is once again confronting the risk of being badly damaged by the ever-more interconnected oil, other hard commodity, currency and equity markets. As fellow blogger Paul Hodges told us last November: “Demand visibility – even without as yet […]
All mixed up in the West
By Malini Hariharan The blog has been writing about the softening in olefin and polyolefin prices in the US. But the European market presents an interesting contrast offering arbitrage opportunities for those willing to take the risk. Operating rate reductions have been reported at crackers in Priolo, Italy; Tarragona, Spain; Carling, France; Cologne, Germany; and […]
US-Asia PP Arbirtrage Remains Uncertain
By John Richardson THE jury is out over whether the recent decline in US propylene prices will re-open arbitrage to Asia for polypropylene (PP). Arbitrage for ethylene has remained strong with Dow Chemical disclosing that 20% of its US production went to Asia during Q1 US propylene contracts for May settled at a reduction of […]
US Olefins Price Falls Could Be Turning Point
Flagging-up the dangers… Source of picture: http://www.illusionsofdander.com/2007/08/car-dealerships-and-flag-companies-may.html By John Richardson THE recent 22% and 18% falls in US spot ethylene and propylene prices might be a sign that this yeat’s price rallies have been more the result of stronger crude and petrochemicals re-stocking and supply constraints than sustainable demand increases. As my colleague Nigel Davis, editor of the Insight section […]
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