NATURAL GAS

Saudi Arabia discovers two new gas fields / Oman clinches supply deal with BP / China now largest LNG importer

TOTALENERGIES

Deal adds 10 years to Oman LNG partnership / New agreement includes GHG reduction

TOTALENERGIES

Refining and chemicals' operating income plummets 31% to September / Q3 sales shrink

NATURAL GAS

Qatar inks new LNG supply deals with EU players / Fierce competition with US suppliers / China a major client

BAYSTAR

Borealis, TotalEnergies JV starts major US HDPE plant / Facility marks final step of integrated petchem project

TOTALENERGIES

French firm banks on green hydrogen to decarbonise refineries / Projects underway with different partners

TOTALENERGIES

New plastics waste recycling unit planned for Paris area / Annual output 30,000 t of PE and PP compounds targeted

HYDROGEN

US seeks to unseat Europe as frontrunner in the race to ‘net zero' / Energy Department publishes hydrogen strategy paper / Generous subsidies under Inflation Reduction Act

PETROCHEMICAL MARKETS

BASF TotalEnergies JV: Fire paralyses cracker in Port Arthur, Texas / No serious consequences for polymer lines reported

VERSALIS

Joint plastics waste recycling platform with Technip / Pairing of Hoop process with purification knowhow

POLYMER PRICES

North America August 2023: Prices vary / Firmer styrene costs prop up PS / Hurricane Idalia has no effect on prices so far / Extent of damage to polymer production not yet clear / September likely to be generally weaker

EPS

Styrene undersupply: are higher prices imminent? / Rising demand could herald trend reversal

PETROCHEMICAL MARKETS

PP: TotalEnergies declares force majeure in Belgium / Little impact expected for European market / Trouble for Sabic at Dutch site?

SABIC

Pyrolysis oil used for certified circular polymers / Production in Saudi Arabia said to be first in MENA

ENERGY

German LNG plans show no signs of slowing / Some say pace too fast / US main supplier / Rügen terminal still in doubt

TOTALENERGIES / INEOS

French group exits Lavera JV / UK giant grabs share in Naphthachimie's cracker, polymer plants

TOTALENERGIES

Development of packaging from RE:clic range

TOTALENERGIES

HDPE resin enables downgauging for tethered caps

TOTALENERGIES CORBION

Franco-Dutch JV cancels major European PLA project / Production continues in Asia

SONATRACH

Firms tapped to design, build PP plant in Algeria

ENERGY

Germany may reduce LNG terminal goals / Hydrogen plans proceeding apace

POLYMER PRICES

North America April 2023: Widespread reductions despite a few plant outages / Feedstock prices softer / Revival in demand still on hold / May prices expected to be lower across the board

TOTALENERGIES

Addition of Spanish firm expands recycling ops / Latest move part of increased focus on reclaim

PETROCHEMICAL MARKETS

Polystyrene: TotalEnergies lifts force majeure on deliveries from Gonfreville and Carling

LOGISTICS

Warning strike blocks large ships from port of Hamburg / German trucking costs surge in 2022 / Protests, strikes engulf France / Freight rates steady or lower