Petrochemicals now driven by geo-politics more than economics

ICIS - chemical podcasts

English - July 20, 2020 00:00 - 24 minutes - 17.1 MB
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China’s new plan to accelerate a huge investment in Iran’s energy and petrochemicals shows how geo-politics is now driving petrochemical investments rather than economics.

- China to accelerate investment of up to $230bn in energy and chemicals investments in Iran
- Deteriorating US-China relations driving a new Cold War
- Iran has huge resources and potential for chemicals
- Iran could become major exporter of chemicals to China and Asia at expense of US
- Iran is already ramping up exports of methanol to China
- Geo-politics is now driving petrochemcials
- Conflicting signals on downstream chemicals demand for July and August
- China – worst floods in decades jeopardise economic recovery
- Chemical industry needs to react to structural changes in automotive, aviation, energy industries
- Focus on sustainability and affordability
- Sell solutions, not just products

Listen to this podcast interview with Paul Hodges, chairman of consultancy International eChem; John Richardson, ICIS senior consultant, Asia and ICIS Insight editor Nigel Davis.

Podcast interview by Will Beacham