08.12.12 Natural Gas Prices: Feast or Famine for Chemical Companies?

U.S. natural gas is the lifeblood of many domestic industries, chemical companies in particular. Chemical plants shut nationwide when prices spiked in recent years, sending thousands of jobs offshore. But in the last two years, chemical companies have enjoyed relatively low natural gas prices, with companies planning billions of dollars in new plant construction and restarts. George Biltz, vice president of energy and climate change for Dow Chemical, discusses natural gas' critical link to the chemical industry.