Shale gas abundance has prompted exploration of natural gas as a transportation fuel, particularly for heavy-duty vehicles and marine vessels, driven primarily by fuel cost differentials.

New methane regulations will require producers to retrofit or replace existing equipment. While green completion offers a relatively short payback period through captured methane, prior oil and gas price declines may affect the implementation and adoption of these regulations.

While U.S. LNG export projects garner significant attention, Canadian initiatives also target regional gas surplus, albeit with distinct characteristics.

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 […]

Driven by new LNG exports, the global carrier fleet, 400+ in 2014, will exceed 500 within five years, prompting shipbuilder expansion.

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 […]

To mitigate volatile LNG market risks, buyers should diversify suppliers and regions, while sellers should diversify customers and optimize costs.

Floating LNG technology offers potentially faster and more economical deployment compared to onshore facilities, which, if cost efficiencies are realized, could enhance LNG market competitiveness and affordability.

AMERICAS  Dow to expand production capacity in Argentina  Dow Chemical is planning to expand polyethylene production capacities, and improve production technologies and equipment at its four sites in Argentina, starting in 2015. The LDPE plant will be improved to enable the production of resins used for extrusion coatings in packaging applications. Also, the gas phase […]

AMERICAS  Borealis to consolidate plastics compounding operations in Brazil  Borealis is planning to restructure its operations in Brazil, by transferring production from its plant at Triunfo to the recently upgraded facility at Itatibain in early 2015. Borealis invested about USD 57.3 million to expand the Itatiba facility with the construction of an additional production building, […]