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Demographics And Saudi Arabia

Source of picture: Wikimedia Commons By John Richardson EIGHTY percent of Saudi Arabian families get by on incomes of less than $3,300 a month, whereas Saudi Aramco makes $900m of profits every day, says Leslie McCune, managing director of the UK-based chemicals logistics consultancy, Chemical Management Resources Ltd. But he adds that in order to […]

European Markets Weaken Further

By John Richardson THE dreadful state of European polyolefin markets became even more evident late last week as prices continued their declines. Discussions on further reductions in European olefin contract prices were also set to begin today. High density polyethylene (HDPE) and linear low-density polyethylene (LLDPE) spot prices have now fallen by Euros80-150/tonne in June, […]

Saudi Producers Remain Confident

By John Richardson THE optimism of Saudi Arabian petrochemical producers remains extremely high, according to an industry observer who spoke to the blog. One might think we were to some extent stating the blatantly obvious as their margins will have swelled thanks to higher oil prices. But there is also little concern among the producers […]

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 […]

Oversupply In Petchems Still On The Way

Perhaps not just yet…. By John Richardson COULD it be that some chemicals industry players and observers, in the great galloping rush to join the supercycle stampede, have got ahead of themselves in predicting that we are already through the bottom of the margins trough? This distinct possibility was raised by Joe Duffy, consultant with […]

Saudi Feedstock Problems Worsen

SABIC headquarters in Riyadh   Source of picture: france24.com   By John Richardson The days when the price of future ethane supply in Saudi Arabia – at the time called an advantaged feedstock because nobody knew what else to do with it – was based only on the cost of separation and distribution have long […]

Aramco Confirms Ras Tanura Location Review

Here’s a post from a guest blogger, my good colleague Prema Viswanathan – Deputy Managing Editor of ICIS pricing in Asia. Ras Tanura and Al-Jubail Source of picture: www.absoluteastastronomy.com   By Prema Viswanathan A Saudi Aramco official has confirmed a Reuters report earlier this week that a change of location for the giant Ras Tanura […]

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 […]

Asia Olefins-Polyolefins To Stay Tight Till April

By John Richardson The tight supply olefin-polyolefin supply that has characterised markets since the first quarter of last year continues with no sign of relief for resin buyers until at least early April. But whereas production problems and start-up delays are likely to remain aplenty, the argument for further price hikes has been undermined by […]

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