ICIS Americas Podcast

US ethylene and propylene prices continue to decline on long supply and strong production, ICIS Americas senior market editor John Dietrich tells pricing reporter Dustin Hall in this podcast recorded on Thursday.

Dietrich gives an outlook for upcoming ethylene and propylene contract settlements, examines recent activity in the spot markets and explains the implications of low olefins prices on downstream markets.

US fatty alcohol contract prices fell significantly in the third quarter, ICIS Americas senior market editor Judith Taylor tells pricing reporter Dustin Hall in this podcast episode recorded on Tuesday.

Taylor examines factors that led to the downward assessment, including increased market competition and faltering downstream demand, particularly from oilfield applications.

US July propylene contracts have initially settled at their lowest levels since May 2009 as oversupply conditions continue, ICIS Americas senior market editor John Dietrich tells pricing reporter Dustin Hall in this podcast episode recorded on Thursday.

Dietrich examines the factors behind the downward movement and explains how a planned US propane dehydrogenation (PDH) plant could put further pressure on prices.

US June ethylene contracts settled at a 70-month low as cash costs fell and production remained strong, ICIS Americas senior market editor John Dietrich tells pricing reporter Dustin Hall in this podcast episode recorded on Wednesday.

Dietrich explains how cheaper prices for feedstocks propane and butane have put downward pressure on ethylene contracts, and looks at how downstream producers are benefitting from lower feedstock costs.

HOUSTON (ICIS)--Following a sizable drop in June, the July benzene contract was up sharply, ICIS Americas aromatics reporter Jessie Waldheim tells pricing reporter Dustin Hall in this podcast episode recorded on Wednesday.

Waldheim explains factors behind the recent volatility in benzene, and examines how the current narrow spread between benzene and toluene has affected on-purpose benzene production.

US crude oil production continues to be healthy even as the closely-watched rig count drops, ICIS Americas senior editor Ignacio Sotolongo tells pricing reporter Dustin Hall in this podcast episode recorded on Monday.

Sotolongo explains how OPEC’s decision to maintain production at current levels has affected crude prices, and examines the possible impact of an Iran nuclear agreement and the Greek debt crisis on the oil market.

In the US chemical shipping industry, there are too many ships chasing too few cargoes, ICIS Americas senior editor Lane Kelley tells pricing reporter Dustin Hall in this podcast episode.

Kelley shares some of the topics of discussions from the ICIS Chemical Shipping Conference, held last week in Houston. He explains that oversupply and reduced export demand have led to consolidation within the industry, even as a new wave of ships is expected to hit the market in 2017.

A newly announced ethane cracker joint venture between vinyls producer Axiall and Lotte Chemical would help secure ethylene supplies in Louisiana, ICIS Americas deputy news editor and senior correspondent Al Greenwood tells pricing reporter Dustin Hall in this podcast recorded on Wednesday.

Greenwood explains that several recent issues have disrupted ethylene supply in Louisiana, leading to spot ethylene trading at a premium over Texas material. He examines how the planned cracker would address future ethylene supply issues and accomplish one of Axiall’s long-term strategic goals at a time when the company is facing pressure from shareholders.

China’s “Green Fence” policy of restricting imports of recycled material is among the factors that have led to oversupply conditions in the US recycled polyethylene terephthalate (R-PET) market, ICIS Americas market editor Andrew Guy Jr. tells pricing reporter Dustin Hall in this podcast.

Guy explains how the policy has altered the R-PET landscape and led to a search for new product applications in the US. He also previews the ICIS PET Value Chain North America conference, which takes place this week in Charlotte, North Carolina.

US June propylene contracts settled last week at a six-year low. ICIS Americas senior editor John Dietrich discusses the drop with pricing reporter Dustin Hall in this podcast recorded on Monday.

Dietrich explains how the shift to heavier cracker feedstocks and recent downstream polypropylene production issues have led to an excess of propylene, and looks at how current low pricing could affect propylene derivatives.