By OGJ editors
HOUSTON, Aug. 5 -- US production of certain petrochemicals for the second quarter of 2003 increased 1% to 46.7 billion lb over production in the first quarter, according to a study released July 24 by the National Petrochemical & Refiners Association. VERIS Consulting LLC of Reston, Va., which conducts the survey for NPRA, based the regular quarterly petrochemical survey on 18 petrochemicals produced in the US, including ethylene, propylene, butadiene, benzene, and mixed xylenes.
Total production of these 18 petrochemicals during the second quarter was down 10% vs. second quarter 2002 production of 52.1 billion lb for 20 reportable petrochemicals.
"From the first quarter of 2003 to the second quarter of 2003, production of 6 of the 18 petrochemicals surveyed and reportable increased, inventories of 3 of the 7 petrochemicals surveyed decreased," NPRA reported.
NPRA also surveys quarter-end levels for seven of the 18 petrochemicals. Data are only reported if they meet NPRA's policy for the minimum number of reporters and maximum share of a statistic by any one reporting company.