Dow announces plans to fully integrate and grow North American performance businesses with shale gas liquids.

The Dow Chemical company announced comprehensive plans to increase the company's ethylene and propylene production and to integrate its US operations into feedstock opportunities available from increasing supplies of US shale gas in the Marcellus and Eagle Ford shale regions. Dow is currently finalizing plans to increase the company's ethylene supply and increase its ethane cracking capabilities at existing US Gulf Coast facilities by: Re-starting an ethylene cracker at the company's St Charles Operations site near Hahnville, LA by the end of 2012; Improving ethane feedstock flexibility for an ethylene cracker at the company's Louisiana Operations site in Plaquemine, LA in 2014; …