Category Archives: Chemicals

A Fuel for the Future? – HDME 50 Marine Fuel

Posted on August 8, 2014 by blogclarksons

Recently we saw the announcement from ExxonMobil that they had developed a new ECA compliant bunker fuel which combined the properties of 0.1% Marine Gas Oil (MGO) and 3.5% High Sulphur Fuel Oil (HSFO). It appears that the major has … Continue reading →

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Boosting Competitiveness: What now for the Asian Petrochemical Market?

Posted on June 9, 2014 by blogclarksons

Last week the annual Asia Petrochemical Industry Conference (APIC) was held in Thailand and throughout the few days of seminars, speeches and working groups one resounding theme emanated from the over air conditioned meeting rooms: “How will Asia raise its … Continue reading →

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Breaking Ground

Posted on April 23, 2014 by blogclarksons

The announcement last week from Chevron Phillips Chemical (CPC) that it had ‘broken ground’ at the site of what will eventually become its new 1.5 million tonne per year cracker at its complex in Cedar Bayou was significant. Why? Well, … Continue reading →

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Winds of Change in the Methanol Industry?

Posted on March 28, 2014 by blogclarksons

It has already been well documented by many industry commentators and indeed this publication that due to the huge amount of investment in methane crackers on the back of the US Shale Gas phenomenon, the US will become self-sufficient in … Continue reading →

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A New Cold War? Geopolitics and Specialised Products

Posted on March 12, 2014 by blogclarksons

The Clash of Civilisations, a thesis written by the political scientist Samuel P. Huntington in 1996, seeks to explain that the conflict between countries and peoples of the world would be down to cultural and religious divides rather than by … Continue reading →

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Using Methanol as a Marine Fuel

Posted on February 25, 2014 by blogclarksons

We are now a little under a year away before the latest round of regulation on emissions from the IMO comes into force. The well-oiled regulatory machine will introduce the 0.1% maximum in sulphur emissions for all marine shipping in … Continue reading →

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The Chemicals Industry & Specialised Products in 2014

Posted on January 22, 2014 by blogclarksons

It seems remarkable to think that towards the end of 2013 a US Senate and House led bipartisan committee agreed a two year budget deal to fund the federal government, which was subsequently passed by both houses and signed into … Continue reading →

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Sanctions Relief in Iran: Assessing the Impact

Posted on December 19, 2013 by blogclarksons

The media has been awash in recent weeks over the interim agreement reached between Iran and the P5+1 (US, UK, Russia, China, France & Germany) in Geneva. The agreement between these global powers and Iran, which has long shunned the … Continue reading →

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The Great Shale Gas Bandwagon: Catching Up With the US

Posted on December 5, 2013 by blogclarksons

The US shale gas revolution is never far from the thoughts of those involved in both the chemicals and Specialised Products shipping industries. This fact is hardly surprising considering the number of new projects and expansions being built in the … Continue reading →

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Piracy 2013: A Year of Change?

Posted on November 12, 2013 by blogclarksons

Media outlets are often chomping at the bit when it comes to attempted attacks or hostage crises by pirates. The recent release of the film, Captain Phillips, based on actual events, is a clear sign that piracy attracts huge levels … Continue reading →

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