ICIS - chemical podcasts

LONDON (ICIS) -- Europe’s run up to holiday season has been unusually busy for polyethylene (PE) and polypropylene (PP) markets, including some spot prices reversing for the first time since March 2024.In this ICIS podcast, European PE and PP senior editors Vicky Ellis and Ben Lake pick out July’s big themes, from logistics (hurricane Beryl and still-spiked Asian freight rates) to the mismatch between how local suppliers and converters are experiencing demand this month.They also highlight what to watch for August.

The US Department of Agriculture (USDA) has published the July World Agricultural Supply and Demand Estimate (WASDE) report, which shows that corn production is forecasted to increase by 240m bushels while for soybeans the outlook is for a decrease by 15m bushels.Senior editor Mark Milam talks to Sylvia Traganida about the report and the latest developments in the US market.

China's petrochemical landscape is becoming increasingly complex with looming refinery capacity caps and a projected shift in feedstock availability. The rise of electric vehicles threatens traditional supply chains, prompting concerns about future plant construction under zero carbon rules. Geopolitical dynamics are also changing, as China strengthens ties with oil-rich Saudi Arabia. With these transformations, Europe faces urgent challenges to safeguard its industry amidst declining prices and fluctuating demand.

Caprolactam (capro) availability in Europe has been very tight until recently due to a shortage of sulphur and low downstream demand. Slow capro demand has also helped balance the market.Senior capro editor Marta Fern talks to senior editors Julia Meehan and Sylvia Traganida about current developments in the market and what lies ahead.

The US overtook the Middle East for the first time as China’s largest supplier of propane and butane in the first half of 2024. 

SINGAPORE (ICIS)-- China is pushing ahead with plans to meet its national emissions targets by facilitating low carbon hydrogen production through regulatory reforms.  China’s hydrogen production and demand have been increasing steadily in recent years but renewable hydrogen, a critical enabler for hard-to-abate industries to reduce carbon footprints, accounted for less than 2% of China's total hydrogen production in 2023.China has pledged to achieve net zero carbon emission by 2035 and carbon neutrality by 2060.ICIS Asia deputy news editor Nurluqman Suratman and ICIS hydrogen analyst Yu Yunfeng discuss China’s hydrogen developments on this podcast.

SINGAPORE (ICIS) — Asia propylene will continue to see new capacities coming from China in H2 2024, while its demand is also likely to improve as new derivative projects come up.Margin challenges may continue to impact the market by altering propylene and its derivatives’ operations. As China is the largest producer and consumer globally, dynamics in the country will impact the wider Asia propylene market. What will be the outlook for propylene in 2024? In this podcast, analysts Joey Zhou and Seymour Chenxia discuss the trends and outlook for the Asia propylene market.

SINGAPORE (ICIS)-- China's recent decision to include hydrogen in its draft national energy law signals a transformative shift in the country's energy landscape.By positioning hydrogen alongside traditional energy sources, China is unlocking vast investment opportunities and paving the way for robust market growth in the burgeoning hydrogen sector.In this podcast, ICIS analysts Patricia Tao and Yu Yunfeng delve into how this strategic focus on hydrogen will reshape China's energy sector and foster sustainable industrial growth.

Nigel Davis, a member of the ICIS market engagement team, shares insights on the impacts of climate change on the US Gulf Coast's chemical industry. He discusses Hurricane Beryl's landfall and the implications of more frequent severe weather. The conversation covers the need for the industry to adapt through infrastructure modifications and sustainable practices. With rising electric vehicle sales and a shift toward renewable energy, Davis emphasizes the urgency for strategic planning to ensure resilience amid these disruptions in supply chains.

Squeezed by high propane costs and weak propylene prices, some Chinese propane dehydrogenation (PDH) operators are turning to a potential lifeline: commercializing hydrogen, a valuable byproduct of their operations.