AMERICAS PolyOne and Kautex introduce multilayer TPE technology PolyOne Corp. has introduced technology that allows extrusion blow molders to make co-extruded high-density polyethylene bottles layered with thermoplastic elastomers (TPE). PolyOne’s GLS Thermoplastic Elastomers unit unveiled the technology, which it co-developed with Kautex Maschinenbau GmbH. The new process can be used with traditional or recycled HDPE, […]

AMERICAS U.S plastic bag update U.S. to levy fees on bags from Vietnam, Taiwan, Indonesia The U.S. government plans to impose final duties of up to nearly 96 percent on plastic shopping bags from Indonesia, Vietnam, and Taiwan. The rulings from the Department of Commerce impose specific penalties on 18 companies from Vietnam, two from […]

AMERICAS LyondellBasell Updates LyondellBasell prices USD 2.75 billion senior notes LyondellBasell Industries (LBI) has priced a senior note offering at USD 2.75 billion to support the chemical company’s emergence from Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. The notes will be issued by LBI Escrow Corp., which will merge into subsidiary Lyondell Chemical Co., as part of Lyondell […]

AMERICAS LyondellBasell Updates LyondellBasell could emerge from Chapter 11 LyondellBasell Industries (LBI) has reached an agreement that could help it emerge from Chapter 11. LBI’s unsecured creditors swapped sides after being offered an extra USD150 million worth of shares. Unsecured creditors, including bondholders, are estimated to hold around USD 3 billion of debt and had […]

AMERICAS LyondellBasell Updates China Petroleum & Chemical and TPG may acquire LyondellBasell China Petroleum & Chemical Corporation (Sinopec) and TPG Capital, L.P. (formerly Texas Pacific Group) are planning a joint bid to acquire LyondellBasell Industries AF S.C.A. Reliance Industries Limited have previously submitted a preliminary non-binding offer to acquire a controlling interest in LyondellBasell in […]

AMERICAS LyondellBasell Updates RIL raises an additional US$763 million to fund Lyondell’s buy Reliance Industries Ltd has raised US$763 million (Rs 3,465 crore), its third big equity fundraising in under four months. With this, the company has raised over Rs 9,000 crore (US$2 billion) by selling treasury stocks in three tranches. Reliance sold 33 million […]

AMERICAS LyondellBasell Updates Access Industries terms US$12 billion offer by RIL too low for LyondellBasell Access Industries claimed that the US$12 billion which RIL has valued LyondellBasell was too low, and lacked merit. Access Industries claimed that since creditors like Apollo would make losses if the deal were to go through at RIL’s initial offer, […]

I have just published an op-ed article on India’s oil and gas exploration and production policy.  It appeared in Business Line, India’s leading business newspaper.  The main argument is: That India does not fit ‘Big Oil’s’ strategy need not be disappointing. As the country’s economy grows, ‘Big Oil’ will have to find new business models […]

Despite negative commentary and conventional attribution to the Burlington Resources acquisition, a comparison with ExxonMobil’s XTO Energy deal suggests ConocoPhillips’ acquisition premium was not excessively high, implying other factors influence its stock underperformance.

The New York Times has published a piece commenting on the flood of recent oil field discoveries, far exceeding the pace in this decade. Much as this is cause for joy, new oil finds are deeper, costlier, and more difficult to process. Finally, we ought to have a few more data points before calling a […]

Why solar panel factories are all abroad.

Executing on a strategic decision to focus on the U.S. onshore wind energy market, BP has been exiting from other countries. This shift signifies their emphasis on developing onshore wind energy projects within the U.S. It just sold 100 MW of wind energy capacity in India to Green Infra Limited, an independent power producer backed […]