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By Jan H. Schut

The possibility that the U.S. could become the second most competitive source of polyethylene in the world after the
Middle East will be front and center when the polyolefins industry gathers February 26–29 in Houston, Texas, USA, for this
year’s Polyolefins and FlexPackCon 2012 Conferences, held concurrently at the Hilton Houston North Hotel (www.spestx.
org/conference.php). The expectation of increased competitiveness of U.S. PE is based on the development of relatively inexpensive natural gas from vast shale deposits, including some in the northeastern states of New York, Pennsylvania, and Ohio. Shale gas is driving ethylene expansion plans. Over last year, three chemical companies announced plans to build new ethylene crackers in the U.S. for natural gas, and a fourth new cracker is under study.

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