Issue 10/2019 - Global Chemicals Quick Facts

Global Chemicals Quick Review

Saudi Aramco's new technology could change the petrochemical landscape

Saudi Arabian National Oil Corporation (Saudi Aramco) is working on a variety of technical routes for direct crude oil to chemicals, including hot crude oil to chemicals (TCTC) and catalytic crude oil to chemicals (CCTC), which will bring greater competition to the US shale gas cracker and will change the global
petrochemical industry.
A senior technical expert at Saudi Aramco said at a press conference at Saudi Aramco's headquarters: "Saudi Aramco is developing a technical roadmap
for a variety of crude oil direct to chemicals.
We are considering converting crude oil into chemicals
with minimal processing steps.
"The large projects that Saudi Aramco plans to work with SABIC in Yanbu, Saudi Arabia, may include one or more such technical routes
.

Demand for high-quality base oils will grow in India

Demand for API Group II and III base oils will grow in India as consumers tend to buy better quality lubricants
.
At the recent ICIS India Base Oils and Lubricants Conference in Mumbai, an industry expert said that the Indian base oil and lubricants market is following the global trend of rapid development, the demand for Group II and III base oils is growing rapidly, while the demand for Group I base oils is beginning to decline
.
Increasingly stringent emission regulations, changes in original equipment manufacturer (OEM) lubricant recommendations, improved fuel efficiency standards and increased lubricant blending flexibility due to advances in additive technology will stimulate sales of high-quality base stocks in India over the next 10 years
.

The United States has increased natural gas exports to the EU

Since July last year, US natural gas exports to the EU have nearly doubled
.
The United States recently signed a new natural gas export license with the European Union in an attempt to further expand its share
of the EU energy market.
During his visit to Brussels, U.
S.
Energy Secretary Perry signed two new U.
S.
gas export licenses in Brussels, which will eventually allow Texas-based Tellurian and California-based Sempra Energy to export a combined 60 billion cubic meters of natural gas per year, six times
the total amount the European Union has imported from the United States since it began buying U.
S.
gas in 2016.
At the same time, the EU is also looking for ways to
break Russia's grip on the European energy market.