IHS Chemical Week's Petrochemical Roundtable in Houston attracts key industry players

Participants in Chemical Week's Petrochemical Roundtable

Fifteen CEOs, decision makers and experts of the petrochemical industry turned up at IHS Chemical Week's first Petrochemical Roundtable, held in conjunction with CERAWek 2011 in Houston. The roundtable discussion highlighted the potential of shale gas as petrochemical feedstock in North America, which could tip the cost competiveness of the U.S. petrochemical industry and change the competitive landscape of the industry.
There are petrochemical projects that are already responding to the availability of shale gas as a significant feedstock but attendees agreed several hurdles need to be crossed before any company can justify putting money in the ground for greenfield investment: a coherent energy policy, security of supply, and investments in pipelines that can transport shale gas from the Northeast of the U.S. to the petrochemical hub on the U.S. Gulf Coast.