Economics
European chemical industry pessimistic for 2025, recovery not until 2026 says new report
After a sobering business year in 2024 ("lost year"), the leading European chemical companies are still not forecasting any significant recovery for 2025. A cautiously positive development is only expected in the second half of the year - provided that a global trade war or a lack of economic recovery do not thwart the forecast.
Lotte Chemical Titan signs contract to buy naphtha from Aramco Trading Singapore
Malaysia's Lotte Chemical Titan has signed a three-year contract to buy naphtha from Aramco Trading Singapore starting in July 2025 and running to June 2028, the company said.
India's May diesel exports to Southeast Asia seen at multi-year highs on higher margins
India's diesel exports to Southeast Asia for May are expected to be the highest in at least four years, as traders eyed higher profits in Asia and as higher freight costs deterred shipments to Europe.
U.S. ethane exports to China hit new roadblock with license requirement
Chinese purchases of U.S. ethane, a key petrochemical feedstock, face fresh uncertainty after the U.S. Commerce Department told exporters to seek licenses to export to China
BASF intends to take over shares in Alsachimie JV from DOMO Chemicals
BASF and DOMO Chemicals have signed an agreement giving BASF the right to take over DOMO Chemicals’ 49% share of the Alsachimie joint venture, in which BASF currently holds 51%.
Digital Feature: FuelEU: A growth opportunity for U.S. Midwest ethanol producers
ExxonMobil to sell French subsidiary Esso to Canadian energy group
ExxonMobil France Holding has entered into exclusive negotiations with North Atlantic France SAS for both the proposed sale of its 82.89% majority shareholder interest in Esso Société Anonyme Française SA as well as the proposed sale of ExxonMobil Chemical France SAS.
UPM cancels second Rotterdam biomass-to-fuels refinery
UPM plans to discontinue the development of its potential second biomass-to-fuels refinery at the Port of Rotterdam. UPM plans to halt all engineering work related to the CAPEX investment and withdraw from all site-related commitments associated with the Rotterdam investment
Uniper, thyssenkrupp Uhde partner to build large-scale ammonia cracker in Germany
thyssenkrupp Uhde and Uniper are entering into a strategic partnership to bring a key technology for global hydrogen trading to industrial maturity: the large-scale ammonia cracker. In a first step, a demonstration plant with a capacity of 28 tpd ammonia will be built at Uniper’s Gelsenkirchen-Scholven site in Germany.
Canada shift crude oil exports to China, an unintended consequence of U.S. energy tariffs
If there is a law of unintended consequences, then a good example is how commodity markets are adjusting to both the realities and the perceived threats of the tariff war launched by U.S. President Donald Trump. An example of this is seaborne exports of crude oil from Canada, which have shifted away from the United States and towards China, even though Trump backed away from his initial plan to impose a 10% tariff on energy imports from Canada.
- OXEA confirms final investment decision for major capacity expansion at plant 7/10
- TotalEnergies ships to Asia the first cargo produced by the ECA LNG plant 7/10
- ADNOC L&S expands LNG fleet with order for four new carriers 7/10
- India's ONGC plans to build 13-MMbbl national strategic oil reserve 7/10
- Russian refineries, oil terminal, tankers hit, Ukraine says 7/10
- Tajikistan says it has 60 days' fuel in reserve amid Russian supply crunch 7/10
