Shale-advantaged resins are affecting job growth in the plastics industry in a big way, according to Martha Moore, senior director, Policy Analysis and Economics, for the American Chemistry Council.

Natural gas and renewable power plants will account for almost all the new capacity to be installed in the United States for the "foreseeable future" while the number of coal-fired power plants will continue to decrease, according to a report by PEW Charitable Trusts.

After watching the price of oil and the size of their profits plunge, a dozen top executives from some of the nation's largest oil exploration companies flew to Washington late last winter on an urgent mission: push Congress and the White House to allow unlimited exports of American crude oil.

While some plastics are recycled, far too many are not - and end up buried in landfills or littered where they can enter delicate marine ecosystems.

Noelle Walsh, corporation vice president of supply chain with The Dow Chemical Company, outlines the chemical industry giant's efforts to become more customer-focused, while synchronizing its supply chain upstream to suppliers, and downstream to customers.

LNG carrier freight rates have come under severe pressure due to rising fleet supply and stabilising LNG demand, as Japan prepares to restart its nuclear power plants. Despite the general market belief that new LNG supply from Australian projects will provide ample employment to the growing fleet, there are immediate challenges on freight rates. This is due to 49 million tonnes per annum (mtpa) of Australian LNG cargo supply expected to hit the market over the next two years, according to the newly launched LNG Forecaster report published by global shipping consultancy Drewry.