Later, 11:04 a.m. CT: the answer to my question regarding Norway and ethane, see comments.
If you follow the Marcellus, you'd have heard the (very cool) stories.
Basically INEOS has crackers in Norway that use ethane (and it seems like they sort of prefer that to naphtha). They actually did a very cool "hail Mary" type of play where they built special ships to transport ethane (it's like methane/LNG more than like propane/butane...have to have special chilled carriers for it, not just pressurized tanks.).
And even invested in more ethane capacity in Europe. This actually made huge sense when oil was at $100 pre-2015 (thus naphtha expensive) and ethane had already crashed in North America from the shale gas miracle. But even now with oil at $50, it's a decent play. More and more ethane getting exported to overseas crackers.
INEOS even called their ships "dragons." Very ballsy move. Basically these guys saw the shale gas miracle and believed in it and invested accordingly (to be the customers/midstream of shale gas, but in an innovative way).
Paging Art Berman!
https://ihsmarkit.com/research-analysis/why-international-buyers-import-us-ethane.html.
Original Post
US ethane exports, by destination:
Why does Norway need all that ethane? That's what intrigues me. And look how small the Chinese market is for US ethane.
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Mermaids: Where Do THEY Pee?
This morning on the way to Tutor Time, Sophia holding her mermaid doll, asked me if mermaids peed?
I said all animals pee, so yes, her mermaid -- from "The Little Mermaid" -- Ariel (?) pees.
Sophia, of course, asked where and I told her in the ocean. That grossed her out but I told her the ocean was very, very big and it was not a big deal to pee in the ocean (as opposed to plastic straws, said no one ever).
She then said, and I kid you not, the "Marianna Trench is probably filled with pee and poop."
I almost drove through the red light. LOL.
I said she would have to ask her dad about pee and poop in the Marianna Trench since he was a nuclear submariner and had visited the Marianna Trench.
Sophia, never missing a beat, told me that her dad had never gotten to the Marianna Trench. Only "Nifteens" or something like that had gotten to the trench. I could not understand what she was saying, "Nifteens?" -- so she told me she would show me on YouTube when she comes home tonight.
I don't know. I'll have to ask her about "the baby shark" song tomorrow.
If you follow the Marcellus, you'd have heard the (very cool) stories.
ReplyDeleteBasically INEOS has crackers in Norway that use ethane (and it seems like they sort of prefer that to naphtha). They actually did a very cool "hail Mary" type of play where they built special ships to transport ethane (it's like methane/LNG more than like propane/butane...have to have special chilled carriers for it, not just pressurized tanks.). And even invested in more ethane capacity in Europe. This actually made huge sense when oil was at $100 pre-15 (thus naphtha expensive) and ethane had already crashed in NA from the shale gas miracle. But even now with oil at $50, it's a decent play. More and more ethane getting exported to overseas crackers.
INEOS even called their ships "dragons". Very ballsy move. Basically these guys saw the shale gas miracle and believed in it and invested accordingly (to be the customers/midstream of shale gas, but in an innovative way). Paging Art Berman!
https://ihsmarkit.com/research-analysis/why-international-buyers-import-us-ethane.html
Wow, you're fast. I post my little uneducated blurb and two minutes later you have a most fascinating answer ... with a link. LOL. Amazing. Thank you for taking time to write. When I get caught up I will post this as a stand-alone post above so more folks can more easily see it. Thank you.
DeleteMarianas Trench is way higher than submarine crush depth. A special bathysphere went down there. But normal subs like your son in law, nope. In fact, the vast majority of the oceans are deeper than crush depth (which I won't tell you, classified). Submarines are almost always operating in water which is deep enough to kill the crew.
ReplyDeleteI think Sophia knew/knows that, but I certainly did not. That explains why Sophia knew her dad had not "visited" the Marianna Trench. LOL.
DeleteYou could have an entire sub crew die and nobody know about it for several weeks. (They are usually receive only for radio, and even that is very infrequent, have to go to PD periodically...no streaming videos, no mail.)
DeleteWith the Scorpion, they actually died right outside the Med. A week or so before due back in port (Norfolk I think). There were families waiting on the pier and then the ship never showed.
To prevent future fiascos like that, subs have to check in 24 hours before coming into port. But that just prevents the families on the pier fiasco. You could still lose a boat and USN not know about it for as much as a couple months.
In general, the Navy has a very different feel from USA/USAF. I was in serious culture shock to see colors being done at 1700 at Andrews. We go by sunset in the Navy. I had thought it was a joke (!) when people talked about Air Force colors timing. But submarines are especially isolated and out there, since they usually operate independently. And they are much more isolated than even an astronaut in terms of contact. (Well other than looking through the scope, with the literal cross hairs, and the wave slaps. Call it dancing with the one-eyed lady.)
And that isolation and independence -- that's why the cultures of the three services are so different.
DeleteI was surprised colors in the Air Force were at 1700. One would expect 1700 perhaps for the US Army, but for those with "banking hours" mentality, one might expect perhaps flag-lowering ceremonies at 3:30 p.m. so folks can beat the rush hour traffic home.