Shell Chemicals focus investments in Asia Pacific

Shell Chemicals Ltd. in Singapore said Asia Pacific will be the main focus of new investment in capacity, and the company plans to have more than 30% of its chemical manufacturing assets located in Asia Pacific and the Middle East by 2010, up from around 25% in 2000. Executive Vice President Ben van Beurden said that Asia Pacific is the most exciting region for petrochemicals due to soaring demand in China and India. He said the unit of the Royal Dutch Shell Group is considering a plant to add a world-scale styrene monomer/propylene oxide plant to its facilities in Singapore. The company is already developing the Shell Eastern Petrochemicals Complex facilities in Singapore, due to start up in 2009 or 2010, according to its website. The main products to be produced by the complex are ethylene, propylene, benzene, butadiene and mono-ethylene glycol. The olefins and aromatics will feed new and existing facilities in the city state. (May 29, 2008)