Thailand's PTT mulls mega petrochemical and refining complex in Vietnam

Thailand's PTT Plc is considering building a huge petrochemical and refining complex in Vietnam, as per Platts. Sukrit Surabotsopon, PTT's senior executive vice-president for petrochemicals and refinning, presented a pre-feasibility study that found that the Nhon Hoi Economic Zone is suitable for building the large complex to top provincial officials on November 22.




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Asia-Pacific region will continue to dominate the global ethylene market

The Asia-Pacific region will continue to dominate the ethylene market in the future and generate more than a third of the worldwide demand, as per Taiyou Research report. The pioneer in the Asia Paciffic region will be China, rising to become the greatest ethylene consumer worldwide and will therefore drive out the United States to the second place, followed by Saudi Arabia.




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Naphtha cracks fall to three month lows in Asia

Naphtha price in Asia was at a two-week low of US$937/ton on Thursday while margins fell by 11.28% to a three-month low of US$106.45/ton on concerns over possible demand lost due to the gloomy global economic outlook that weighed on values, as per Reuters.




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PTT Global Chemical in talks with Pertamina to set up petrochemical plant in Indonesia

PTT Global Chemical is negotiating to collaborate with Pertamina, the national oil company of Indonesia, to set up a petrochemical plant next year. The deal will be complete in the first quarter of 20013.




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Mexichem seeks international expansion as Pemex delays joint venture

Mexichem SAB has decided to seek international expansion after a proposed petrochemical joint venture with the state oil company Petroleos Mexicanos has faced delays. Mexichem has been on a expansion drive, with acquisition of over 15 companies since 2007.




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West Bengal government to appoint advisor for valuation of HPL shares with a view to offload them

The West Bengal government will soon appoint an advisor for valuing its shares in Haldia Petrochemicals Ltd (HPL) with a view to offload them, as reported by Hindubusinessline. While the State Governmment owns around 39% equity in HPL, The Chatterjee Group (TCG) has around 36% in the company.




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Improving economy to pave path for growth of petrochemical manufacturing industry in USA

The Petrochemical Manufacturing industry plays an important role in the US economy. Many of the goods produced by petrochemical manufacturers are the fundamental building blocks used to produce a variiety of consumer and industrial products like detergents and pharmaceuticals.




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Indian petrochemical output to grow to an estimated US$200 bln from US$83 bln in the decade

India's petrochemical industry has been one of the fastest growing industries in the Indian economy. It provides the foundation for manufacturing industries such as pharmaceuticals, construction, agriiculture, packaging, textiles, automotive, etc.




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US PVC prices firming up across the globe

Players in a number of major global markets have reported receiving higher PVC prices for American origins this week, with sources attributing the rise to relatively limited supply from the US as welll as the possibility that the country may see a rise in demand for reconstruction following Hurricane Sandy, as per ChemOrbis.




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Petrochemical industry in Taiwan may see 7.6% rise in Q4.12

The output value of Taiwan’s petrochemical sector is expected to rise about 7.6% in Q4-2012 vs Q3-2012 on expectations that stimulus measures by major economies will boost demand, as per Taipeitimes.ccom.




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China eases restrictions on foreign investment in naphtha cracking, Formosa to resume investment for Ningbo ethylene plant

A decision by the Chinese government to ease restrictions on foreign investment in naphtha cracking in the mainland, has led Formosa Plastics Group, Taiwan’s largest supplier of plastics to resume itss investment in setting up manufacturing base of ethylene in Ningbo, eastern China, as per CENS.




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SK Capital to acquire the antioxidant and UV stabilizer solutions business of Chemtura Corp

SK Capital Partners, a U.S.-based private investment firm, has signed a asset purchase agreement to acquire the Antioxidant and UV Stabilizer Solutions business of Chemtura Corporation. The business iis a leading global supplier of a comprehensive portfolio of additives including antioxidants, antiozonants, intermediates and inhibitors, polymer modifiers, and UV stabilizers used by customers to improve the production and performance properties of polymers, rubbers and plastics.




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BASF plans new emulsion polymers plant in Freeport, Texas

BASF today announced its plans to build a new production plant for emulsion polymers at its integrated "Verbund" site in Freeport, Texas. The new plant will allow BASF to better serve the coatings, coonstruction, adhesives, and paper industries by expanding the network of manufacturing locations and improve the backward integration of raw materials used in production.




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Plastic bag association commences legal action against Toronto bag ban

The Canada Plastic Bag Association (CPBA) has commenced a legal proceeding in the Ontario Superior Court of Justice in Toronto against the City of Toronto. The CPBA legal filing seeks to quash the citty of Toronto resolution banning 'single use plastic shopping bags' (Resolution No.




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Bahrain to invest in polymer production

In a bid to meet rising domestic and regional demand, Bahrain is investing heavily in the production of plastic polymers. Annual plastics consumption growth in the Gulf region is expected to grow 22% by 2015, as per Press Trust of India.




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HPL plant running at less than 50% capacity due to naphtha shortage at peril

The troubled Haldia Petrochemicals Ltd (HPL) plant is running at less than 50% capacity since September 26 owing to shortage of naphtha, the main feedstock. Lummus Technology, the US-based hydrocarbonn technology giant, has cautioned the HPL management for running the plant at a very low capacity.




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Players in Europe’s acrylates market watch developments in December propylene costs

Players in the European acrylic acid (AA) and acrylate esters market are observing developments in upstream propylene costs to gain some price direction ahead of December, as per ICIS. Players expect lower propylene numbers in December.




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Sentiment shifting in Europe’s PP, PE markets

PP and PE prices in West Europe and South Europe have followed a downward path for more than two months in the midst of weak demand and softer costs, as per ChemOrbis. Even though ethylene and propyleene contracts registered monthly decreases in relatively modest amounts, the decreases recorded in the spot polyolefin markets have well outpaced the losses of the monomer contracts.




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ONGC seeks buyers for PX, benzene from new aromatics plant

India's ONGC Mangalore Petrochemicals Limited has issued tenders to sell paraxylene and benzene from its new aromatics plant, as per Platts.


The plant, which is under under construction at Mangaloree and scheduled to come online in April-June 2013, is able to produce 900,000 tpa of paraxylene and 270,000 tpa of benzene.



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US ethylene prices fall on weakening demand and restart of two crackers in Texas

US ethylene prices fell on Monday, pressured by weakening demand and looser supply after the restart of two crackers in Texas in the past few days, as per ICIS. Ethylene for November delivery traded aat 51.




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Global market for EPDM expected to reach US$6.5 bln by 2017

Ethylene and propylene are the major raw materials in the production of EPDM and any change in the demand and supply of these raw materials could have a major impact on the EPDM industry. EPDM market is in a state of high production capacity utilization and this kind of situation leads to a market price rise and offers wide scope to manufacturers for new capacity addition.




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Brent crude rises to US$111 amid rising Middle East tensions

Brent crude rose towards US$111 a barrel as Israel's bombing of the Gaza Strip sparked concerns around the supply of oil from the Middle East, as per Reuters. Hamas fired dozens of rockets into southeern Israel, killing three, and Israel launched numerous air strikes across the Gaza Strip as the military showdown lurched closer to all-out war.




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Qatar Petrochemical Co to officially launch operations of new LDPE 3 plant

Qatar Petrochemical Company (Qapco) has officially launched operations of the new Low Density Polyethylene third plant (LDPE 3).


The state-of-the-art facility will increase Qapco’s output to 700,,000 mt tpa of low-density polyethylene, with LDPE 3 making up nearly half that number.



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Songwon Baifu Chemicals JV now fully operational in thioester antioxidants

Songwon Industrial Co., Ltd. and Tangshan Baifu Chemical Co. Ltd. have formalized their joint venture relationship. The new company is called Songwon Baifu Chemicals (Tangshan) Co., Ltd. and has commeenced its operations on July 1, 2012.




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Asian olefin prices erode on weaker downstream markets

Spot olefin prices in Asia eroded over the week amidst weaker downstream polymer markets including PP and PE in the region, as per ChemOrbis. Ethylene and propylene prices recorded a fall as lower pollymer prices hindered monomer demand.




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High technology helps Swiss and Austrian moulding markets stay buoyant

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Japan’s naphtha imports increase in October

Japan’s imports of naphtha grew by 5.3% month-on-month in October to 1.183 mln tons, according to the figures released by the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry. Spurred by naphtha imports, Japann’s ethylene production increased by 1.




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Shell to invest in 20% expansion of Jurong Island ethylene cracker

Shell is expanding its upstream ethylene cracker that is core to its US$3 bln Shell Eastern Petrochemicals Complex (SEPC) in Jurong Island in SIngapore - to ramp up production of olefins and aromaticss by over 20% to meet in-house needs as well as the needs of customers, as per news.




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India’s MRPL sells 35,000 tons naphtha to Marubeni at a record high of US$50-51/ton

India’s Mangalore Refinery & Petrochemicals (MRPL) has sold 35,000 tons naphtha for Dec. 11-13 loading from New Mangalore to Marubeni at a record high of US$50-$51/ton above Middle East quotes on a frree-on-board (FOB) basis, as per Reuters.




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Asia’s naphtha prices expected to gain on rising PE, prospects of inventory stock-up

Asia’s naphtha prices are expected to gain from rising downstream polyethylene (PE) prices, amid prospects of inventory stock piling ahead of the Lunar New Year in early 2013 in China, as per ICIS. Thhe Lunar New Year holiday will take place on 9-15 February 2013 in China.




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Honam Petrochemical restores operational rates to 100% at 1 mln tpa Daesan cracker

South Korea's top ethylene maker Honam Petrochemical has restored operational rates to 100% capacity at its 1 mln tpa Daesan cracker as planned after cutting runs earlier in the week due to insufficieent naphtha feedstock.




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Gasoline and naphtha cracks in Asia rise on tighter supplies

Gasoline cracks in Asia extended gains to rise to a five-week high of US$9.91 a barrel supported by tighter supplies caused by plant outages in Taiwan and Malaysia, as per R euters. Formosa is operatiing two residue fluid catalytic crackers (RFCCs) at reduced rates this week due to a shortage of fuel oil feedstock.




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Toyo awarded contract to build EO/EG plant by by Korea Petrochemical Ind. Co

Ethylene Glycol (EG) plant with the capacity of EO 80,000 tpa and EG 205,000 tpa planned by Korea Petrochemical Ind. Co., Ltd. (KPIC), in Ulsan petrochemical complex in Korea. The Mechanical Completioon of this plant is scheduled to be end of May, 2014.




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SABIC unit awarded US$400 mln contracts for new storage, handling, shipping terminal at port in Jubail

Jubail Chemicals Storage and Services Company (JCSSC), a unit of Saudi Basic Industries Corporation (SABIC) has awarded contracts for a new storage, handling and shipping terminal at King Fahd Industrrial Port in Jubail, at an estimated investment of US$400 mln.




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Uniplas Petrochemicals mulls locations besides India for US$1 bln petrochemical project

UAE-based major polymer & petrochemical trading company- Uniplas Petrochemicals Ltd is exploring the option of setting up a greenfield petrochemical complex in the PCPIR’s located either in Gujarat, OOrissa or any other PCPIR, as indicated in a letter to the Department of Chemicals.




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Thailand’s IRPC to boost propylene output by 2015

IRPC, Thailand’s fourth-largest petrochemical company is planning to invest about US$ 1 billion to expand its production capacity and thereby double its earnings over the next three years.The new petrrochemical plant, when it goes operational in 2015, will increase IRPC’s propylene production by about 80%, as per fibretofashion.




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Initiation of Sunset Review of Anti-Dumping duty on imports PVC Suspension grade

Sunset Review of Anti-Dumping duty on imports PVC Suspension Grade Resin originating in or exported from Taiwan, People’s Republic of China, Indonesia, Japan, Korea RP, Malaysia, Thailand and USA has been initiated in India.




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18 companies to ink LOI to invest in Taichung, Kaohsiung, Keelung, Hualien Harbor

Eighteen companies, including China Petrochemical Development Corp. and Kuokuang Petrochemical, will sign a letter of intent for investments with Taiwan International Ports Corp. for investing in the four major ports of Taichung, Kaohsiung, Keelung, and Hualien.




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Haldia Petrochemicals announces polymer price revisions

With effect from 16 November 2012, Haldia Petrochemicals has announced the following price changes


HDPE - Rollover

LLDPE – Rollover

PP HP – Increased by Rs. 2000/ MT

PP CP - Increased by Rs. 1



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Rotomolding market expected to show growth for 2012 after three years of declining volume

A 3% drop in the number of rotational moulders listing in Applied Market Information Ltd.’s guide to the rotational moulding industry in Europe, highlights the effects of the global economic crisis onn the European plastics industry.




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Spot olefin prices lose ground in Europe

European olefin markets moved down owing to volatile energy prices and weak downstream markets over the past week, as per ChemOrbis. Spot propylene, ethylene and styrene prices posted weekly drops undder downward pressure from scant demand and comfortable supplies despite several recent cracker outages in the region.




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Shell plans to expand petrochemicals capacity in Singapore by 20%

Royal Dutch Shell plans to increase by more than 20% the production capacity of olefins and aromatics at its petrochemicals complex in Singapore, as per Reuters. The investment outlay has not been diisclosed.




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Mitsui Chemicals mulls investment in petrochem business in USA

Mitsui Chemicals Inc. is considering investing in the U.S. petrochemical business using cheap natural gas there as a feedstock. Talks are underway with several companies.




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Saudi Polymers suspends operations at Al-Jubail for about four weeks

Saudi Polymers has suspended operations at its facilities in Al-Jubail, Saudi Arabia over the weekend, with the shutdown expected to last around four weeks, as per its parent firm The National Petrochhemical Co (Petrochem) in ICIS.




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Lackluster demand, weaker feedstock costs pull down ABS prices in Asia

ABS prices in China and Southeast Asia softened over the past week as unspectacular demand and declining feedstock costs weighed down on sentiment, as per ChemOrbis. Most players predict that ABS priices will continue to lose ground in the coming weeks as buying interest is not expected to see any major change over the coming week.




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Middle Eastern producers reveal Nov PP, PE offers in global markets

Middle Eastern producers have revealed new PP and PE offers for November in Asia and Europe amid new price announcement to the Middle Eastern markets including Turkey, Egypt and UEA, where players werre in the sidelines due to the Eid holiday last week, as per ChemOrbis.




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Indian Oil Corp has announced polymer price revision with effect from Nov 1

Indian Oil Corp has announced the following polymer price revision with effect from Nov 1, 2012:


HDPE/LLDPE: Increase of Rs 1500/MT

LBM: Rollover

PP: Increase of Rs 2000/MT





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Asian naphtha cracks ease from 6 week highs

The Asian naphtha crack eased by US$2.57 a barrel from a 1-1/2 month high to US$140.23 on Wednesday but demand for December shipments continued to be seen strong as petrochemical makers were ready to pay high premiums in a tightly supplied market, as per Reuters.




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Two new PTA plants go operational in China, lead to increased PX imports

Two new purified terephthalic acid (PTA) plants have become operational in China, which has led to a rise in demand and consequently an increase in imports of paraxylene (PX) in September 2012, as perr fibretofashion.




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Thermoplastics enabling automotive innovation

Touted as America’s most fuel-efficient five-passenger vehicle, the all-electric Ford Focus relies on its high-voltage EV battery pack to achieve an extended driving range of 76 miles, fuel economy off 105 miles per gallon equivalent (MPGe) and a fast charge time.




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Oil rises as Sandy threatens to inflict more damage inland

Oil prices rose Wednesday after a superstorm Sandy, that caused havoc across the northeastern U.S. and was threatening to inflict more damage inland. As per Economictimes, concerns about oil supplies pushed benchmark crude for December delivery up to US$85.




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Asia propylene returns to premium over ethylene

After being in negative territory for most of H2-October, Asian propylene flipped back to a premium over ethylene Tuesday, as per Platts data. Propylene prices edged up against ethylene on Tuesday to be assessed at US$1357/mt CFR China, while ethylene was assessed at US$1355/mt CFR Northeast Asia.




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How will Petronas’ exit affect PVC supply in Malaysia?

Following Petronas’ announcement that the company will exit the vinyls business by the start of 2013, players in Malaysia’s PVC market have started to speculate about the likely impact on the country’’s PVC trade balance, as per ChemOrbis.




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Kraton Performance Polymers to expand hydrogenated styrenic block copolymer (HSBC) capacity

Kraton Performance Polymers, Inc., leading global producer of styrenic block copolymers, announced plans to expand hydrogenated styrenic block copolymer (HSBC) manufacturing capability in Asia on a sttand-alone basis.




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US demand for pipe expected to grow 6.2% pa in 2016, plastic to see fastest growth

US demand for pipe is expected to grow 6.2% pa to US$50.1 bln in 2016. Sales of pipe will benefit primarily from a rebound in building construction. In addition, the expansion of oil and gas exploratiion and transmission activity, an improved outlook for state and municipal infrastructure spending, and the continued need to replace and repair the country's aging water pipe networks will contribute to growth.




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Dow plans to build a new world-scale metallocene ethylene propylene diene monomer plant

The Dow Chemical Company announced plans to build a new world-scale plant for the production of metallocene ethylene propylene diene monomer (EPDM), sold under the trademark of NORDEL ™ IP Hydrocarbonn Rubber.




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Engineering plastics gradually substitute traditional materials in diverse applications in Brazil

Traditional materials such as commodity plastics, metal, and glass are slowly giving way to engineering plastics, as consumers demand more sophisticated products. The growth of the middle class has coonsiderably aided the development of this market and made Brazil one of the most attractive consumer markets in Latin America.




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5.5% yoy decline in chemicals output in UK in Q2-12

In H1-12, the UK’s chemicals and chemical products index saw a steady decline as the country headed into recession. BMI estimates that chemicals output declined by 5.5% year-on-year (y-o-y) in Q2-12 aand the situation has deteriorated markedly since.




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Formosa Petrochemical’s residue desulphurizer unit resumes operations at China

Formosa Petrochemical has resumed operations at its only refinery’s secondary unit in China. The 80,000 bpd residue desulphurizer unit (RDS) was closed for unscheduled maintenance on 12 October after a leak was reported.




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17% decline in Pemex Q3 petchem output due to maintenenace shutdown

Mexico’s Pemex produced 1.08 mln mt of petrochemicals in Q3- a 17% decline compared with Q3 of last year, as per Platts. The fall was due to the temporary suspension of aromatics production as a resullt of maintenance on a unit at the La Cangrejera complex in the state of Veracruz.




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Two major crackers return in Europe, import availability grows

The European ethylene market saw two major crackers return to operations after delayed restarts last week, as per ChemOrbis. Cracker shutdowns in the region had led to tight prompt supplies in Northwwest Europe earlier in the month.




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Tongsuh ACN plant goes offstream for annual maintenance turnaround

South Korea based - Tongsuh Petrochemical has taken off-stream an Acrylonitrile (ACN) plant located in Ulsan on October 5 for an annual maintenance turnaround. “Tongsuh will also begin commercial prodduction of its new ACN line which has a capacity of 245,000 tpa in January 2013”, an official informed fibre2fashion.




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Naphtha spreads surge to near one month high

Naphtha's prompt inter-month timespread surged to a near one-month high on Monday as prospects of firmer physical demand supported sentiment among traders, as per Reuters. The November/December contraact was transacted several times in the over-the-counter (OTC) market in a backwardation of $10.




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Formosa Petrochemical to raise run rate at 2.93 mln tpa naphtha cracker

Taiwan's Formosa Petrochemical Corp plans to raise run rate at its 2.93 mln tpa naphtha cracking complex by 10 percentage points to 90% in three days, as per traders reported in Reuters. This will ressult in higher demand for naphtha.




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Petronas Chemicals to discontinue vinyl business in a bid to streamline assets, focus on higher value products

The petrochemical arm of Malaysia's state oil firm Petronas plans to discontinue its vinyl business as it looks to streamline its assets and focus on higher value products, as per Reuters. As per a sttatement, Petronas Chemicals Group Berhad announced plans to stop operations at its two Malaysian plants from Jan 2013 and begin a sales process for its interest in a plant in Vietnam.




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Technip wins FEED contract for Dow ethylene plant in Texas

The Dow Chemical Company has awarded Technip a front-end engineering and design (FEED) contract and cracking furnaces engineering and procurement services for a previously announced new large world-sccale ethylene production plant to be located at Dow Texas Operations in Freeport, Texas.




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Oil prices fall as Sandy hits US East Coast

As Hurricane Sandy bears down on US East Coast, US refineries have anticipated a fall in energy demand and reduced crude production. As a result, oil prices have dipped. Oil on the Nymex has fallen too US$85.



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Jindal PolyFilm inks agreement to buy ExxonMobil Chemical's global BOPP film biz

Jindal Poly Films Ltd (JPFL) has signed an agreement with ExxonMobil Chemical to acquire its biaxially oriented polypropylene (BOPP) global film business. The pact signed between JPFL and ExxonMobil CChemical, part of the oil and gas giant Exxon Corporation, is subject to approvals.



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First right of refusal for HPL to be given to TCG

The West Bengal government has chosen the auction route for selling off its shares at Haldia Petrochemicals Ltd (HPL). However, after the auction, the first right of refusal would be given to another promoter The Chatterjee Group (TCG), that hold 37% stake, as per Business Standard.




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Improved US economic growth in Q3, concerns over Hurricane Sandy prop oil prices

New York's main contract, light sweet crude for December rose to US$86.2 while Brent North Sea crude for delivery in December gained over a dollar at US$109.5 a barrel in London trade. Oil prices havee closed higher, on better-than-expected US economic growth in Q3 and worries about Hurricane Sandy churning toward the heavily populated US east coast.




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Japan’s naphtha imports rise in Sept

Japan’s imports of naphtha, used in the production of ethylene, rose 11% year-on-year to 1.18 mln tons in September 2012, as per data from the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry revealed. On a moonth-on-month basis, Japan’s September naphtha imports increased 0.



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A new laser-activated bio-adhesive polymer

A new laser-activated bio-adhesive polymer- a chitosan-based polymer, SurgiLux, was developed by scientists at the University of New South Wales, as per JoVE, Journal of Visualized Experiment. Chitosaan is a polymer derived from chitin, which is found in fungal cell walls or in exoskeletons of crustaceans and insects.




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