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Asian Chemical Connections

China outlines shale gas ambitions

By Malini Hariharan With all the buzz around shale gas in the US the blog is not surprised to read that China is also turning to this unconventional source of gas. The country is looking to start shale gas production within the next five years, said a senior government official. It has drilled more than […]

US Petchems Overconfident On Shale Gas

By John Richardson THE soaring confidence of the US petrochemicals industry over abundant ethane feedstock from shale gas could end up being colossally misplaced, as we have discussed before on the blog. America is the most NIMBY (not in my backyard) of all societies and so it shouldn’t come as a surprise to anybody that […]

One more US expansion

By Malini Hariharan The shale gas based ethane rush in the US continues with Westlake Chemical the latest to announce big expansions at its two crackers in Lake Charles, Louisiana. Each of Westlake’s two light feedstock crackers will be expanded to provide ethylene for existing internal derivatives units and the merchant market, said the producer. […]

Shale gas spurs optimism but questions remain

By Malini Hariharan The mood at this year’s International Petrochemical Conference, hosted by the National Petrochemical and Refiners Association (NPRA) in San Antonio,US, is quite bullish and is evident in the reports being filed by the blog’s colleagues on ICIS news. An improvement in profitability and increased availability of ethane has prompted companies such as […]

US shale gas and petchems

By Malini Hariharan The blog would like to share an interesting analysis in the latest issue of ICIS Chemical Business on the impact of US shale gas on petrochemical producers in the region. Profitability has of course improved as seen in the results posted by majors such as LyondellBasell. Shale gas production in the US […]

Saudi Oil And Gas Supply – Anyone’s Guess

    By John Richardson   SAUDI Arabia’s crude-oil reserves may have been overstated by as much as 40% or 300bn barrels, according to this article on February 8 in the Guardian, based on cables between Saudi and US diplomats obtained by Wikileaks. The blog the Oil Drum used the occasion of the article to […]

US Shale Gas: The Truth Versus Perception

  Source of picture: alfin2100blogspot.com   By John Richardson SINCE when has the truth mattered in the battle between environmentalists and the oil, gas and chemicals industries? This is a game of perception on both sides as estimates of risk are heavily subject to data that is either biased in the way it is collected or […]

A Happy Festive Season To All Our Readers

Source of picture: anahoyhanioblogspot.com By John Richardson THE blog will be taking a few days off this week as ’tis the season to be Merry’, regardless of what you may think is our rather cynical and often-times pessimistic view of the chemicals industry. We will come roaring back towards the end of this week by the […]

Lasting Damage To US Chemicals

By John Richardson The huge and long-lasting impact of the economic crisis on the US chemicals industry is detailed in the excellent Year-End Situation and Outlook report from the American Chemistry Council (ACC), which was released late last week. Light vehicle sales and housing starts will still be below 2006 levels in 2015 – the […]

US Petrochemicals A World Beater

Shell’s refinery and petchems complex in Deer Park, Texas Source of picture http://www.msnbc.msn.com/   By John Richardson THE excellent third-quarter financial results of the likes of Dow Chemical and LyondellBasell further confirm the extraordinary turnaround in the cost positions of those with a big proportion of their global polyolefins production based in the US. Some […]

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