I thought your article on the chemicals industry was right on target. There is a further issue that is compounding the problem. Saudi Arabia and other petroleum exporting countries are now using petrochemicals as another route to export energy equivalent and create employment. The aluminum industry is a good example of a material being used to export energy from countries and localities that cannot utilize the energy themselves in a productive manner. In this case, both feedstock and energy are from national firms. The impact on the entire industry is predicted to be dire. Combined with the latest in technology, means that the Gulf Coast polyethylene, pvc, and polypropylene industry is at risk. Plastics will be exported to the US at much less than US Cost. Engineered materials could be next.
