The global market of plastic pipes is gaining momentum

MOSCOW (MRC) - By 2019, the capacity of the world market of plastic pipes will reach USD80 billion, according to the research made by the marketing company Ceresana.

In 2011, the share of plastic pipes made of PVC accounted for more than 55%. The second most popular material for pipes production is polyethylene, in particularly, HDPE, which was used for the production of 28 to 45% of the total amount of pipes. But despite the popularity of the traditional materials, the proportion of such materials used in production of pipes, as ABS plastic, polybutylene, polyamide, will increase in the near future, according to experts.

North America and Western Europe have given up their positions as for the sales of plastic pipes to the Asia Pacific region, which occupies the first place and accounts for 50% of the global demand for plastic pipes. According to Ceresana's outlook, the Asia Pacific region will further increase the consumption of plastic pipes in 2019 - to more than 60%.

We remindl that, as MRC reported previously, this year Russian companies increased production of plastic products. Over the past nine months, the production volume of polymer goods increased by 10% compared to that of the previous year. The largest increase accounted for plastic pipes. In January-September, the total production of plastic pipes, hoses and fittings by Russian plants made about 528.400 tonnes, up 26% compared to the same period a year ago.
MRC

(petroworld) -- Spanish energy giant Repsol is in talks with Pemex regarding a new strategic partnership, following up on a promise made by new Mexican president Enrique Pena Nieto to open the state-owned company to new investors.

The new alliance comes as Repsol tries to reorganise its Latin American business, having been stripped of its shares in the now nationalised Argentinian producer YPF earlier this year.


At present Pemex is Repsol’s third largest shareholder, holding 9.5% of the company, and may look to gain more influence. Earlier this year, the company sided with one of Chairman Antonio Brufau’s rivals and tried to force management changes, but the two firms have since found common ground.

Pemex will also be looking gain from Repsol’s expertise in production. The company is looking to boost its output having fallen behind in recent years and not being able to replicate the record 3.4m barrel haul it produced back in 2004.

“There have been formal contacts in recent months on several areas between Repsol and Pemex. I’m optimistic for a more solid partnership between the two,” commented Fluvio Ruiz, Pemex board member.

Repsol S.A is an integrated Spanish oil and gas company with operations in 28 countries. The bulk of its assets are located in Spain.

Petroleos Mexicanos or Pemex is a Mexican state-owned petroleum company. Pemex has a total asset worth of USD415.75 billion, and is the world's second largest non-publicly listed company by total market value. Its products include petrochemicals, natural gas, liquid gas, sulphur, gasoline, kerosene, and diesel.

MRC

(fibre2fashion) -- The increasing gap between the demand and supply of gas, due to rising demand and limited supply, is posing serious challenges before the GCC petrochemical industry, as the gap is likely to further widen in the coming years.

While gas consumption in Iran, Middle East and the UAE exceeds production, Saudi Arabia satisfies its own demand by producing 99.23 billion cubic metres of gas annually. However, the demand-supply gap presently gets balanced to some extent as Egypt, Algeria, Oman and Qatar stand out to be net exporters of gas.

Meanwhile, the distressing fiscal crisis impeding recovery of the EU and the US economies is adding to the adversities.

Speaking at the 7th annual Gulf Petrochemicals and Chemicals Association (GPCA) Forum, UAE Minister of Environment and Water, Dr. Rashid Ahmed Bin Fahad said financial crisis in the US coupled with political impasse over looming fiscal crisis, and financial slump and debt crises in the EU are retarding global recovery. Besides, the swiftly rising eastern economies are also losing pace.

These situations have raised concerns about worsening of the financial crisis, and are feared to hit the regional as well as global petrochemical producers, and even negatively impact their earnings.

Dr. Fahad noted that though GCC region enjoys a more stable economy, global financial slump is a matter of major concern, as it has raised doubts over future development and its effect on the region’s strategic hydrocarbon industries. This is more so as interconnected factors like the population growth, economy and government policies have been responsible for the growth in oil and petrochemical demand, since historic times.

MRC

(warsawvoice) -- PKN Orlen fuel group PKN Orlen is in advanced talks to buy Polish shale gas licenses from US Exxon Mobil and Canada's Talisman, the daily Rzeczpospolita reports citing own findings.

PKN Orlen might buy three of the six licenses Exxon is giving up, the daily writes. Meanwhile, Talisman denies being in talks on the sale of its licenses, managing director Tomasz Maj said.

Meanwhile, PKN Orlen has unveiled a new strategy for 2013 through 2017, earmarking a total of 22.5 billion zlotys (EUR 5.5b) for investments within the five years, and has confirmed that it does not plan to sell any of its companies.
"Orlen's representatives underline that at the moment, they are not planning to sell either Orlen Lietuva, or the Czech Republic's Unipetrol, or Poland's Anwill," Energetyka.wnp.pl has reported.

Ahead of last Friday's release of the new strategy, analysts predicted that the Polish oil giant would confirm plans not to sell its Lithuanian subsidiary. Several years ago, the group hired the Japanese investment bank Nomura to work out possible scenarios for Orlen Lietuva's future, including selling the Lithuanian refinery.

In the next five years, Orlen is planning to invest 6.1 billion zlotys in the crude oil refining segment, 4.7 billion zlotys in the petrochemical segment, 2.4 billion zlotys in the retail segment, 5.1 billion zlotys in the upstream segment, and 4.2 billion zlotys in the energy segment.

The Polish group owns 100% of shares in Orlen Lietuva.

MRC

MOSCOW (MRC) -- INEOS ChlorVinyls announced prices of suspension PVC (SPVC) for December 2012, effective from 1st of December 2012.

The prices of pipe grade SPVC delivered in bulk in Europe makes EUR950/ metric tonne.
The prices of pipe grade SPVC delivered in bulk in UK/Ireland makes GBR880/metric tonne.

INEOS Group, Ltd. manufactures and distributes petrochemicals, specialty chemicals, and oil products in the world. It offers chlorine, caustic soda, chlorinated, paraffins, derivatives, biodiesel, sulphur, ethanol, salt, brine, esters, ammonia, nitric acid, films and compounds, PVC compounds, PVC films, PET films, resins, melamine, acrylonitrile, olefins and polymers, borealis, ethylene, propylene, aromatics, polyethylene, polypropylene, ethylene oxide, glycol, formaldehyde and derivatives, diesel, jet fuel, heating oil, and phenol.

The company was formerly known as JAR Group Limited and changed its name to INEOS Group, Ltd. in April 1998. INEOS Group, Ltd. was founded in 1998 and is based in Lyndhurst, United Kingdom.
MRC