SHALE GAS

Sunoco sends first natural gas delivery via pipeline to Philadelphia / Project for ethane shipments to Europe on schedule

PLASTICS MARKETS EUROPE

Consumption grows 1% in 2013 / Polyolefins, PU and PET see gains / PVC and PS demand continues to fall / Producers under rising pressure / USA as most important trade partner

YEAR IN REVIEW 2014

Part 2 – Plastics Production: Shale gas revolution drives Europe into a corner / Ailing facilities are consolidated / Massive changes in PVC market / Shale oil reserves change the balance once again

YEAR IN REVIEW 2014

Part 1 – Overview: European plastics industry ploughs on / High energy costs and bag bans still an issue / Realities of shale revolution start knocking on Brussels' doors

SHELL

Versalis' Porto Marghera cracker to pick up the slack for Moerdijk? / Rumours of possible restart of Italian unit

ITALY

Petchem industry trying to shake off an uncertain past / Going green / Many obstacles still remain

COMMENT

Italy continues to go "green"

POLYTALK

PlasticsEurope conference highlights petchems producers' negative outlook for future of European manufacturing / Producers call for more support from Brussels / Authorities highlight benefits of circular economy

VERSALIS

Dunkirk cracker to be converted to ethane feedstock / Imports of US shale gas

ENI / VERSALIS

Petrochemical processing units of Sardinian refinery in Sarroch sold to Saras

ENI / VERSALIS

Porto Marghera cracker to be permanently closed / Conversion to bioplastics hub confirmed

GENOMATICA

Biobased processes for nylon intermediates under development / Feasibility validated / Plans to licence technology to major players in PA value chain

ENI / VERSALIS

Reprieve for Porto Marghera and Gela sites / National roundtable on restructuring in September / Conversion to renewables hub confirmed

ENI / VERSALIS

Italy braces for another strike over envisaged refinery closures / Nationwide demonstration planned in Rome for 29 July

VERSALIS / ENI

Update: Four Italian refinery and petrochemical sites threatened with closure / Eni informs unions / Protests planned

VERSALIS

Unions strike to protest delayed restart of Porto Marghera cracker / Conversion to renewables hub also in doubt

BASF

German chemical giant opposes prolonged use of HBCD flame retardants in EPS/XPS foams

MATRICA

First biochemical plant begins operations in Porto Torres / Additional downstream facilities set to start up in near future

PETROCHEMICAL MARKETS

Versalis lifts FM for EVA from Oberhausen

BASF

Spanish XPS plant now switched to PolyFR flame retardant / All plants to be converted by year's end / ECHA opens consultation on petition for exceptions from the 2015 HBCD phase-out

PETROCHEMICAL MARKETS

LyondellBasell declares force majeure for PP from Brindisi / C3 increasingly tight as Versalis' cracker appears to be off stream too

EPS INSULATION

Syndicate plans to lobby EU to prolong use of HBCD as flame retardant / Decision expected by year's end / Ban already enforced in Switzerland / German association members plan to follow in mid-2014

POLYMER PRICES

Standard Thermoplastics Trend February 2014: Price movements largely follow costs / PE producers achieve small margin gains / PVC manufacturers refuse to budge / Styrenics tending weaker

VERSALIS

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

VERSALIS

MoU with Elevance to develop metathesis technology for vegetable oil-based bio-chemicals / Plans for world-scale facility in Porto Marghera