volved in the suit—Ethyl Corp. and Nalco Chemical—already had indicated that they will appeal the decision to the Supreme Court. The three other organizations involved in the suit, Du Pont, PPG Industries, and the National Petroleum Refiners Association, are reviewing the decision before deciding on further litigation. •
Petrochemical role in economy detailed Companies making petrochemicals in Texas last week stepped up their efforts to ensure future supplies of their oil and gas feedstocks. In a series of presentations to state government officials, representatives of 17 companies summarized a study by Arthur D. Little Inc. The major finding was that nearly $130 billion in finished products are made around the country based on Texas-produced petrochemicals. More specifically, the value of the finished products accounts for about 13% of the gross national product. Making these products provides almost 3 million jobs, the ADL study shows. The companies involved in the presentation were Celanese, Dart Industries, Dow Chemical, Du Pont, Ethyl Corp., Firestone Tire & Rubber, Goodyear Tire & Rubber, Hercules, Monsanto, National Distillers & Chemical, Olin, Oxirane, Petro-Tex Chemical, P P G Industries, Rohm & Haas, Texas Eastman, and Union Carbide. Much emphasis in their presentation went on the higher value of oil and gas when used to make petrochemicals rather than burned as fuels. Revenue from the state's oil and gas reserves could continue to climb despite declining production rates, they add. To do this an adequate supply of oil and gas must be made available to
Oil worth much more as chemicals than as fuel Crude oil Fuel Petrochemical Consumer products IUU Dollars 3 a Value of 1 bbl of oil at various stages of processing. Source: Arthur D. Little Inc.
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the growing petrochemical industry. For example, a barrel of crude oil shipped from Texas provides a return of about $9.00. If, however, the hydrocarbons in the crude oil are converted through petrochemicals to finished products, the equivalent value can reach as high as $200. Texas oil and gas production peaked in 1972 at the equivalent of about 8.5 million bbl per day. That year, the petrochemical industry used about 7%, or 570,000 bbl per day. By 1985 the state's production is forecast to decline to 7.5 million bbl per day of crude oil equivalent. That year, petrochemicals could be using 21% or 1.6 million bbl per day. The value of the products made in the state's petrochemical industry in 1972 was about $6 billion, according to the study. This was about 10 times the value of the equivalent crude oil used. In 1985, according to the growth projections, the value of such products would exceed $17 billion. The largest production value, $27.8 billion, for industry dependent on Texas petrochemicals occurs in the South Atlantic region—Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Maryland, North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia, and West Virginia—according to details released from the ADL study. Closely following is the East North Central region at $27.6 billion. Then comes the Middle Atlantic region at $23.6 billion. The West South Central region—Arkansas, Louisiana, Oklahoma, and Texas itself—ranks a distant fifth at $10.0 billion. Payrolls of industries dependent on Texas petrochemicals total $20.6 billion annually. The largest share is paid out in the Middle Atlantic region at $4.8 billion, followed by East North Central and South Atlantic regions at $4.6 billion each. •
University sets rules on genetic research A committee of 11 University of Michigan faculty members has recommended that recombinant DNA research at the university "should, in principle, go forward, so long as it has been submitted to appropriate controls." There was one dissent. The committee, headed by social scientist Alvin Zander, also includes members of the law, philosophy, history, and humanities departments: only four of the 11 have backgrounds in medical or biological science. Recombinant DNA experimentation, sometimes called genetic engineering, involves transplanting genetic material from one living cell to another, in effect creating new forms
of life. There are potential benefits; for example, new bacteria could be developed to produce hormones, blood clotting factors, antibodies, or other medically useful substances. But there are also risks. New strains of pathogenic organisms could be resistant to antibiotics: previously harmless bacteria could become virulent pathogens. Because of the risks, there has been a call for a moratorium on such research pending development of guidelines to minimize the dangers. A panel of scientists assembled by the National Institutes of Health has been wrestling with the problem and has come up with proposed ground rules setting standards for physical and biological containment of organisms (C&EN, Feb. 16, page 6). "We believe that the current NIH guidelines are an acceptable basis for assuring the safety of experimentation in molecular genetics," the Michigan committee says. Although some small risk remains, "this risk should not bar experimentation." The committee recommends additional restrictions, however. Certain "highrisk" experiments would be banned at Michigan. A review committee would be established "to ensure that laboratory equipment and facilities are appropriate." In addition, "somebody"—perhaps the university's senate assembly research committee—should occasionally review the review committee and also the NIH guidelines. The lone dissenter, historian Shaw Livermore, believes that the University of Michigan should not encourage recombinant DNA research. There might well be benefits from such research, he says, but "the limitations of our social capacities for directing such a capability . . . will more likely bring . . . a train of awesome and possibly disastrous consequences." Other schools, including Harvard and California Institute of Technology, also have faculty and staff groups working on policies, procedures, and controls for possibly hazardous genetic research. However, the Michigan committee is apparently the first to go on record with its proposals. •
Special centennial issue C&EN will publish a special issue on April 6 to celebrate the Centennial of the American Chemical Society, founded on April 6, 1876, in New York City. This is in addition to the regular weekly issue of C&EN, dated April 5. The special commemorative issue will highlight the history of the society as well as major advances in chemistry over the past 100 years.
