2012 proved to be an outstanding year for the U.S. business of chemistry, which seized the competitive price advantages of natural gas from shale and announced more than $40 billion in U.S. chemical manufacturing investment projects. Insourcing, at least in the chemical industry, has replaced outsourcing. Late in the year, The Washington Post and the […]
Tag Archives: Natural Gas
Red, white and shale: A tectonic shift in energy brings U.S. benefits
The National Intelligence Council thinks big. Its quadrennial reports typically address the mega-issues — global power shifts, the “rise of the rest,” a more global NATO — that could define the future. In its most recent report, “Global Trends 2030: Alternative Worlds,” the NIC gave a nod to the transformative power of shale gas, calling […]
No apparent political divide on the benefits of shale gas
Bipartisanship on domestic policy issues materializes about as often as a snow man in Washington, D.C. But across the political spectrum and around the country, endorsements for shale gas as a driver for manufacturing growth are popping up like Christmas trees. From Gene Sperling… Start with Gene Sperling, the Obama administration’s point man on economics […]
Help wanted! The natural gas revival creates demand for skilled workers
Millions of Americans are looking for work in these difficult economic times, so news of a labor shortage might come off as a bit of a paradox. But that’s the reality for parts of America’s robust manufacturing sector, where the shale gas boom has created huge demand for workers, but, in some cases, not enough […]
Manufacturing is poised to remake our future, McKinsey study shows
Despite the Great Recession, manufacturing worldwide not only survives, but thrives, accounting for approximately 16 percent of global gross domestic product and 14 percent of employment. “Globally, manufacturing continues to grow,” sparking innovation and competitiveness, while driving research and development, exports, and productivity growth in the developed world, according to a new study by the […]
Politico event highlights energy efficiency as critical component of U.S. energy policy
We’ve said it before: reduced energy demand is the cleanest energy there is, and last week’s “Energy and the Presidency: The Shift from Campaigning to Policymaking” event helped to drive home that point for U.S. lawmakers and reporters in Washington, DC. Hosted by Politico, the event featured distinguished speakers Sens. Udall (D-Colo.), Manchin (D-W.V.) and […]
U.S. energy future depends on natural gas and energy efficiency, according to World Energy Outlook
The U.S. is in store for a bright energy future achieved by enhancing domestic energy security and boosting the competitiveness of America’s manufacturing sector through abundant, affordable supplies of natural gas from shale and increased energy efficiency, according to the International Energy Agency’s 2012 World Energy Outlook, which forecasts trends through 2035. The global energy […]
Experts are bullish on a manufacturing revival led by American chemistry
Valence investment banking analyst Anton Ticktin could be called an advocate of supply-chain economics. He credits abundant, affordable supplies of natural gas from shale for the resurrection of the $2.5 trillion chemical industry, giving U.S. chemical companies an enormous competitive edge in the global economy. Having observed the benefits of low-cost chemical feedstocks such as […]
Cheap natural gas can bring hope to voters along the “Rust Belt”
“Three decades after being devastated by the closing of steel mills, this gritty river valley is hoping its revival will come from cheap natural gas,” The Wall Street Journal recently reported, referring to Beaver County, Pa. Today, these Americans are standing in line to vote, many of them with energy on their mind. That’s because […]
Natural gas from shale is no fluke, but a trend, IHS report shows
An IHS report on unconventional natural gas supplies has produced a gusher of good news for the chemical industry and U.S. manufacturers. ACC President and CEO Cal Dooley said the study shows “abundant and affordable supplies of natural gas are revitalizing the chemical industry and a providing a competitive edge for manufacturers in the global […]
