The upheaval in world energy markets over the past year has not really hurt petrochemical projects in the U.S. and Canada, according to petchem owners, engineers and contractors. If anything, they say, owner decisions to delay or stretch out the construction of a few petchem projects have eased concerns about skilled-worker shortages and project cost inflation and prompted talk that the petchem construction boom will last longer than previously thought.

"The bell curve [of likely petchem construction activity] has gotten longer and a little flatter," says Kent Free, director of business development, estimating and pre-construction services at the Houston office of PCL Industrial Construction Co.