POLYMER PRICES

China Engineering Thermoplastics January 2016: Butadiene and styrene rise while other feedstocks point down / Polymer prices firm / ABS and PC rise slightly / Consumption in line with expectations / Processors gearing down for Chinese New Year holidays

BP / ROSNEFT

Restructuring of German refinery assets okayed by boards / EU approval expected soon

INDORAMA

Agreement to acquire BP's PX and PTA complex in Decatur / Backward integration into PET

BP

Alabama PTA business put up for sale / Company restructures to remain competitive / Upgrades underway in Belgium and US

POLYETHYLENE

High-pressure production: LDPE becoming increasingly tight in Europe / Global importance wanes / New plants mostly flexible and easily switched to EVA / Specifically targeted types more expensive

MAUSER

Dutch IBC specialist plans IPO in the US

POLYETHYLENE

Low-pressure production: HDPE and LLDPE output linked / Number of global swing plants rising / European lines no longer competitive / Local converters increasingly dependent on imports / Exclusive PIE report

POLYETHYLENE

New production era for mass plastics begins / European refineries on the brink of extinction / Feedstock base lost / Global competition increasingly relegates Europe to second class / High time for discussions on how to react

EVONIK

C4 plants in Marl officially start up / New FCC-C4 technology / Cross-company collaboration with BP

JBF

KKR to invest USD 150m in Indian PET producer / Funds will contribute to completion of petrochemical complex in Mangalore

BP

Phase 3 PTA plant starts up at Zhuhai / Chinese site first to use UK group's newest technology

ROSNEFT

Russian oil giant raises international profile / Securing stakes in German refineries / Share in ChemChina acquired

SHALE GAS

Chevron to quit Romania, too / Oil multinational will close European exploration chapter

BP

Upgrading PTA plants in Belgium and the US / New technology to improve cost competitiveness and reduce environmental footprint

ARTLANT

Plans to restart Portuguese PTA plant in Sines / Modern production line a La Seda heirloom

MITSUBISHI GAS CHEMICAL

PTA plant in Japan to close / Overcapacity hits profits / PX deal with CNOOC

INEOS

LDPE plant in Cologne switched off following incident involving excess pressure / German site to undergo inspection

AGRICULTURAL FILM

Global market to reach 7m t at value of USD 10.5 bn in 2020 / LLDPE most dominant material / China as leading consumer / Grand View Research report

PVC MARKET

European production landscape undergoing massive changes / Global capacity shifts drive consolidations / Overcapacities mean additional closures cannot be avoided / Who will be the next victim in this game of Russian roulette?

PETROCHEMICAL MARKETS

BP shuts down its olefin plant in Gelsenkirchen for a few days

JBF

Belgian PET plant successfully starts up / First volumes hit the market

VERDEZYNE

Pilot production for PA 6.12 feedstock successful / US company plans commercial plant in Malaysia

SHELL

Oil and petchems group to cut spending, sell assets / Poor earnings at both ends of the business

SHALE GAS

Fracking company Cuadrilla lifts UK shale estimate / Experts warn of complex local factors

MITSUI CHEMICALS

MDI, TDI and phenolic lines to be shuttered in Japan / Plans to restructure PTA business