The recovery of the US petchems industry appears to have begun permeating fringe areas of the ethylene chain, thanks to the ongoing shale gas revolution on the North American continent. Americas Styrenics (AmSty, The Woodlands, Texas / USA; www.amsty.com) has announced plans to build a deepwater dock at its facility in St. James, Louisiana on the Mississippi River, not far from New Orleans. By the end of 2015, the leading North American entity in the styrene chain envisions the new project to be operational. Economic and engineering studies have been completed and detailed engineering is now underway with local permitting expeced by mid-year. The company says the new dock, which will be able to accept ocean-going vessels, will enhance operational flexibility and export capabilities.

According to Plasteurope.com database Polyglobe (www.polyglobe.net), AmSty, a 2008 joint venture between ChevronPhillips and Dow successor Styron – see Plasteurope.com of 14.05.2008 – has a capacity of close to 1m t/y of SM in St James. With an overall capacity of more than 1.6m t/y of SM and lines for 875,000 t/y of PS in the US, the JV has a significant surplus of styrene, which is either sold or poured into the regional activities of the parent companies.