Industry News
Chemical Industry News
ICIS EXPLAINS: Serbia’s security of supply uncertain amid sanctions – Part 2
Serbia’s sole oil refinery shuts down as US declines operating license request, could impact electricity production among others - Vucic The country handed Russia an ultimatum: gas contract by 5...
Plant status: Malaysia’s Petronas to restart oxos unit in mid-Dec
SINGAPORE (ICIS)--Here is a plant status report: Name: Petronas Chemicals Derivatives Location: Kerteh, Malaysia Product: Oxo-alcohols Capacity (tonnes/year): 15,000 (isobutanol), 125,000 (n-butanol)...
Global air passenger demand up 6.6% in October as international travel strengthens – IATA
LONDON (ICIS)--Global air passenger demand rose by 6.6% year on year in October, accelerating from September and marking one of the strongest monthly performances of 2025, according to the...
Asia short-term LNG demand growth not enough to absorb new supply
Asia LNG demand response not enough to absorb new supply Discussion on when market will rebalance Greater shipping liquidity expected SINGAPORE (ICIS)--The huge growth in LNG supply later this decade...
Higher charter rates push TTF further below Asia spot LNG: what next?
TTF moves to year-long discount to Asian spot LNG Wider discount typically means more US LNG heads to Asia But higher charter rates, limited Asia demand will mute impact LONDON (ICIS)--The recent...
Plant status: Singapore’s Exxon to mothball smaller cracker by mid-2026
SINGAPORE (ICIS)--Here is a plant status report: Name: ExxonMobil Chemical Location: Pulau Ayer Chawan, Singapore Product: Ethylene, propylene Capacity (tonnes/year): 900,000 (ethylene), 490,000...
Plant status: Taiwan’s FCFC eyes deeper phenol/acetone plants’ run rate cut to 50% in 2026
SINGAPORE (ICIS)--Here is a plant status report: Name: Formosa Chemicals and Fibre Corporation (FCFC) Location: Mailiao, Taiwan Product: Phenol and acetone Capacity (tonnes/year): No 1: 220,000...
What’s on your lab technology wish list?
Once-magical tools are now mundane. What will the next miracles be?
Asia TDI faces upward pressure following price hike announcement
SINGAPORE (ICIS)--Asia’s TDI market faces upward price pressure after BASF announced a $200/tonne increase, effective 1 December, citing higher regulatory compliance, transport, and energy costs....
Royal Society of Chemistry calls for labs to become more inclusive for disabled chemists
Innovative thinking could address many of the problems that makes labs inaccessible
ICIS TTF Early Day assessments: 4 December 2025
- Planned and unplanned maintenance has rendered 33.4mcm/day offline on 4 December, with process problems at the Norwegian gas asset at Troll amounting to 8mcm/day - Gassco - Northwest Europe is...
China’s CJN partners with ElSewedy to develop major phosphate plant in Egypt
LONDON (ICIS)--China’s Kunming Chuan Jin Nuo Chemical (CJN) has partnered with Egypt’s ElSewedy Industrial Development to build one of the Middle East’s largest phosphate-based chemical...
Plant status: China’s Jincheng Petchem restarts base oils unit in early Dec
SINGAPORE (ICIS)--Here is a plant status report: Name: Shandong Jincheng Petrochemical Location: Zibo, Shandong, China Product: Group II base oils Capacity (tonnes/year): 600,000 Event start:...
East China toluene port inventory higher as arrivals outpace consumption
SINGAPORE (ICIS)--Toluene inventory at east China ports increased to 48,100 tonnes in the reporting period ended 4 December as arrivals outpaced consumption, according to ICIS data. The inventory was...
Asia ethylene dichloride suppliers unlikely to increase India exports
SINGAPORE(ICIS)--Asia ethylene dichloride (EDC) producers may continue to view India as a lackluster sales destination, despite the south Asian country’s recent removal of the quality control...
Plant status: China’s Shanghai Huayi runs etac plant at reduced capacity
SINGAPORE (ICIS)--Here is a plant status report: Name: Shanghai Huayi Chemical Location: Wuwei, Anhui, China Product: Ethyl acetate (etac) Capacity (tonnes/year): 200,000 Event start: November 2025...
Bangladesh to lift LNG imports in 2026 as fertilizer tariff unlocks funding
Fertilizer gas tariff increase funds additional LNG purchases Record 115 total LNG imports in 2026 Extra seven LNG cargoes planned for fertilizer sector in 2026 Bangladesh plans to lift LNG imports...
Lignin becomes valuable amides
An international research team from the Leibniz Institute for Catalysis (LIKAT) and several Chinese universities, led by Prof. Jagadeesh Rajenahally and Prof. Matthias Beller, has developed a novel, environmentally friendly process for producing high-quality amides
Methanol to Hydrogen: Demonstration Plant for Off-grid Power Supply Using Steam Reformers
At the technical center of the Leibniz Institute for Catalysis (LIKAT) in Rostock, a methanol steam reformer supplies a fuel cell with high-purity hydrogen in continuous operation and at comparatively mild temperatures. It is the
Antiferromagnetic network with direction of rotation
A standard refrigerator magnet is ferromagnetic: the tiny magnetic moments of the atoms all point in the same direction. The magnetic forces of such magnets can therefore be easily utilized, for example in compasses, sensors