Industry: Chemicals & Plastics

MTG projects offer higher returns than GTL due to lower capital costs and infrastructure compatibility, making them attractive in North America’s shale gas market.

We are blogging regularly on various oil and gas, energy, and chemical industry topics. Read our recent views on North American methanol projects.

AMERICAS   ExxonMobil launches new Vistamaxx grade   ExxonMobil has introduced a new propylene-based elastomers grade, Vistamaxx3588FL. The new material offers good heat seal properties with excellent processability in cPP and BOPP film applications. Comments: Snack, biscuit, and candy packaging in China and Southeast Asia are expected to be some of the highest growth areas […]

Despite its reduced environmental impact relative to other disposal methods, flaring represents a dissipation of economically viable energy resources.

AMERICAS Borealis to invest in PP compounding in Brazil Borealis has completed the expansion of its PP compounding facility in Itatiba, Brazil. The expansion was completed with an investment of about USD 48 million. The expansion project included the addition of two new lines; the output from the new lines will be sold to automotive […]

AMERICAS Formosa Plastics to build new PE plant Formosa Plastics’ new PE plant at Point Comfort, Texas will have the capacity to produce 525 KTA. This will be the second PE unit at the Point Comfort complex. Construction for this unit is expected to begin in the fourth quarter of 2015 and the plant is […]

AMERICAS ExxonMobil Chemical introduces new Vistamaxx grade ExxonMobil Chemical is introducing a new grade to its Vistamaxx portfolio. The new grade, Vistamaxx 3588FL provides excellent seal performance in cast PP and heat-sealable BOPP films designed for fast and reliable packaging operations. Comments: Exxon has introduced the new grade to cater to the fast-growing general packaging […]

AMERICAS Formosa considering a new PE unit in Point Comfort Formosa Plastics is considering the construction of a PE unit at its Point Comfort complex in Texas. This will be the second new PE plant to be built at Point Comfort. Construction on the new PE unit is expected to begin in the last quarter […]

AMERICAS Ethylene XXI nearing completion Braskem SA and Grupo Idesa’s JV plant is nearing completion and is expected to come on-stream by July 2015. The USD 4.5 billion complexes will include an ethane cracker with a capacity of 1,050 KTA, two 750 KTA HDPE plants, and one 300 KTA LDPE plant. Comments: The new ethylene […]

Between 2008 and 2013, US natural gas output rose considerably, with shale gas growing even faster. However, recent price declines may hinder this expansion by impacting well profitability and future drilling activity.

AMERICAS  Ineos-Sasol break ground on HDPE plant  Ineos and Sasol have broken ground on a new HDPE production plant at Ineos’ La Porte manufacturing plant. The USD 500 million projects would have a production capacity of 470 KTA and are expected to begin operations in 2016. Comments: This project is among at least 8PE projects […]

AMERICAS Dow Chemical expansion projects on track Construction of Dow Chemical’s US Gulf Coast and Latin America expansion projects are on-track and on a plan for a start-up. In Freeport, TX construction for the on-purpose propylene PDH project is over 50% complete; the project is expected to start in mid-2015. The construction for Dow’s ethylene […]