United States returns on the investment map Shale gas brings well over $100 billion of chemical investment to the United States

摘要

The current decade began with China's chemical industry overtaking in 2010 that of the United States to become the largest in the world in terms of total output value. While demand in China has continued to outpace the rest of the world, in the four years since 2010, interest and investment have dramatically shifted back to the United States thanks to the shale gas revolution. China's economic growth may have slowed compared with the double-digit rates of recent years, but the country is still the fastest-growing major economy and re- mains a powerful force and growth driver for the worldwide chemical industry. In contrast, Japan, traditionally one of the most significant players in the industry, has been losing muscle. Since the start of this decade, several leading Japan-based chemical companies have announced major restructuring plans for their domestic petrochemical operations in efforts to survive in the changing competitive landscape.