VERSALIS

Major revamp at Porto Marghera to cost EUR 200m / Six-month shutdown / Unions agree

BOREALIS

Long-term supply agreement with Norway's Statoil / Stenungsund cracker to be fed by ethane sourced in Kårstø

INEOS

February's PVC list price raised once again

PETROCHEMICAL MARKETS

West European olefin production hits historical low in 2013 / Numerous consolidations

INEOS

Biesterfeld Plastic subsidiary to distribute PE and PP portfolio in Russia and Ukraine

INEOS TECHNOLOGIES

PP process licensed for Vietnam project / Output to serve growing Asian demand

INEOS

S-PVC list price increase

EPS

European market shifts / Switch from HBCD to other flame retardants / Slashing white EPS capacities / Output of grey material on the rise

INEOS

Update: Plans to invite companies to share Grangemouth to save costs / Mothballing of G4 cracker by 2016

DOW

Additives plant at Grangemouth to close / Scottish petrochemical site is dealt fresh blow

INEOS

Acquisition of Sasol's German solvent business

PETROCHEMICAL MARKETS

Total: Striking employees at French refineries / Unions exert pressure for better wages / Three crackers potentially offline

SHALE GAS

British Plastics Federation welcomes government committee's support towards exploring UK shale gas reserves / Ineos considers role in future UK extraction

KEM ONE

OpenGate leading in the stretch / Unions present project "Phoenix" / Further potential delays to final decision

YEAR IN REVIEW 2013

Part 2 – US shale gas advantage a game changer for European plastics industry / Players seek to level the playing field but authorities slow to react

YEAR IN REVIEW 2013

Part 1 – General overview: US shale gas boom has European plastics players worried / Commodity sectors dogged by overcapacity, insolvencies / Italy goes all out for biopolymers / Mixed picture for European converters

SHALE GAS

First nationwide ethane pipelines in the US due to go online soon / Supplies for petrochemicals on the Gulf Coast and in Canada / Boost for PE production / Opportunities and risks for European processors

INEOS

Grangemouth to receive ethane from US shale gas pipeline / Norwegian Rafnes site to be expanded

PETROCHEMICAL MARKETS

Ineos declares force majeure for VCM and PVC from Rafnes

INEOS

Higher suspension PVC list prices

POLYMER PRICES

Standard Thermoplastics Trend November 2013: PE and PP producers pass on lower costs / Signs point to stabilisation / PVC stands its ground / Styrenics fall in line with monomer

INEOS

Opening of deep-sea ethylene terminal / Import of competitively priced C2 now possible

SOLVAY / INEOS

EU to probe PVC joint venture plans in depth

POLYMER PRICES

North America October 2013: Most grades point down / PE stable / PP follows declining feedstock prices / PVC also dropping / Polystyrene the sole exception to the rule / Engineering thermoplastics start to cave in

CELANESE

Closure of two European acetyls plants weighed / No offers received