UNITED STATES
                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                              WASHINGTON, DC 20549

                                  -------------

                                    FORM 8-K

                                 CURRENT REPORT
                     PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(D) OF THE
                         SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934


Date of report (Date of earliest event reported):  JULY 7, 2003


                            STERLING CHEMICALS, INC.
               (Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in Charter)



         DELAWARE                       000-50132                76-0502785
(State or Other Jurisdiction     (Commission File Number)     (I.R.S. Employer
     of Incorporation)                                       Identification No.)



                          1200 SMITH STREET, SUITE 1900
                            HOUSTON, TEXAS 77002-4312
              (Address of Principal Executive Offices and Zip Code)



Registrant's telephone number, including area code:  (713) 650-3700


                                 NOT APPLICABLE
          (Former name or former address, if changed since last report)


                    INFORMATION TO BE INCLUDED IN THE REPORT


ITEM 5.  OTHER EVENTS AND REGULATION FD DISCLOSURE

           On July 7, 2003, Sterling Chemicals, Inc., a Delaware corporation
(the "Company"), issued a press release announcing that it had restarted its
acrylonitrile plant and entered into an expanded acrylonitrile relationship with
BP Chemicals Inc. Filed herewith is a copy of such press release.

           Statements in this report that contain "forward-looking statements"
within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and
Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, include, but are
not limited to, statements concerning the Company's acrylonitrile relationship
with BP Chemicals Inc. and operations of the Company's acrylonitrile plant. Such
statements are inherently subject to a variety of risks and uncertainties that
could cause actual results to differ materially from those anticipated or
projected. A discussion of the risk factors that could impact these areas and
the Company's overall business and financial performance can be found in the
Company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including the
Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K. These factors include, among others, the
timing and extent of changes in commodity prices, the cyclicality of the
petrochemicals industry, petrochemicals industry production capacity and
operating rates, market conditions in the petrochemicals industry, competition,
changes in global economic and business conditions, increases in raw materials
costs, the Company's ability to obtain raw materials and energy at acceptable
prices, in a timely manner and on acceptable terms, regulatory initiatives and
compliance with governmental regulations, compliance with environmental laws and
regulations, customer preferences and various other matters, many of which are
beyond the Company's control. Given these concerns, investors and analysts
should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. Each
forward-looking statement speaks only as of the date of this report, and the
Company undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any
forward-looking statements.


ITEM 7.  FINANCIAL STATEMENTS, PRO FORMA FINANCIAL INFORMATION AND EXHIBITS

           (c) Exhibits.

       Exhibit number          Description
       --------------          -----------

           99.1                Press release of July 7, 2003



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                                   SIGNATURES

         Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as
amended, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf
by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized.




                                      STERLING CHEMICALS, INC.

                                      By: /s/ Richard K. Crump
                                          -------------------------------------
                                          Richard K. Crump
                                          President and Chief Executive Officer


Dated:  July 7, 2003






















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                                  EXHIBIT INDEX


       Exhibit number          Description
       --------------          -----------

           99.1                Press release of July 7, 2003





























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