Recent announcements of domestic air separation unit expansions and builds indicate that 2012 is going to be a busy year for the US air gases markets. Changes in the economic landscape during 2011 have led to an increase in demand for oxygen, nitrogen, and argon across various sectors.
Comparatively, demand for these three air gases has shifted, with oxygen and argon outpacing nitrogen in terms of demand growth. We last reported on the US Air Gases Market in 2010. (See “The US Air Gases Report” CryoGas, August/ September 2010, p. 38.) In this report, we look at the 2011 US Air Gases Market, including causes for the increases in demand for all three gases, player responses to the new demand, and the changes this situation has necessitated in total capacity and the major players’ share of it.
The ASU Resurgence
Air separation units (ASUs) are the backbone of the industrial gas industry. This technology is over 100 years old and continues to be improved in terms of efficiency, cost, reliability, and size. Investments in new or expanded capacity represent millions of dollars and are based on large and long-term demand drivers for industrial gas products. New ASUs or expansion activity has typically resulted from a need to remedy regional supply issues or replace aging and inefficient plants. Several producers announced plans to increase capacity over the past year to remedy these situations. The wave of recent announcements on new capacity additions in the US sets a very positive tone for the industrial gas business in 2012. (See “New Year—New Capacity,” CryoGas, February 2012, p. 3.)
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