High energy prices and high gas commodity prices in North America have hastened a shift in investment strategy by the region's ethylene producers to regions where feedstock procurement is more cost effective. New investments and capacity expansion by North America companies has moved to the Middle East, the low-cost supplier of ethylene and propylene to Asia. The Middle East region's market has, in turn, increasingly become North America, especially the USA.
Up till 1995, USA was the world's largest exporter of ethylene to the world, a position that has been usurped by the Middle East. With This region now the world's largest exporter, USA has become a net importer of ethylene-derived products since 2004.
10-Mar-06 
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