The National Petrochemical & Refiners Association has released results of its third-quarter petrochemical production and inventory surveys conducted by VERIS Consulting LLC.
Total third-quarter production of the 17 petrochemicals surveyed and reportable is 44.5 billion pounds, which compares with second-quarter 2001 production of 42.8 billion pounds(+4%) and year-ago quarter production of 50.4 billion pounds (-12%). Total inventories of the seven petrochemicals surveyed and reportable is 4.0 billion pounds, which compares with second-quarter 2001 inventory of 4.9 billion pounds (-18%) and year ago quarter inventory of 4.9 billion pounds (-18%). From second-quarter 2001 to third-quarter 2001, production of 15 of the 17 petrochemicals increased and inventories of six of the seven petrochemicals surveyed for inventories decreased.
NPRA regularly surveys the United States petrochemical and refining industries quarterly for production of 20 commodity petrochemicals. It also surveys for end-of-the-quarter inventory levels for eight of those petrochemicals. Petrochemicals surveyed include the basic building-block petrochemicals (ethylene, propylene, butadiene, benzene, and mixed xylenes) and the largest volume first — and in some cases, second — derivatives of these petrochemicals. Data are only reported if they meet NPRA policy for minimum number of reporters and maximum share of a statistic by any one reporting company.