Propylene oxide (PO)

SINGAPORE (ICIS)–Asia's oxo-alcohols market continues to face challenges amid capacity expansions in China. Weak demand from downstream plasticizers sector Upstream support from propylene unlikely Demand recovery to take some time In this latest podcast, ICIS senior editor Julia Tan speaks with ICIS analyst Lina Xu on the latest developments and expectations for what lies ahead in 2025.

17-Dec-2024

HOUSTON (ICIS)–Here are the top stories from ICIS News from the week ended 13 December. Dow’s $2.4-3.0 billion infrastructure deal larger than expected Dow signed a deal to sell a minority stake in its US Gulf Coast infrastructure assets to a fund managed by Macquarie Asset Management for up to $3.0 billion – larger than expected, according to UBS. PCC's proposed USG chlor-alkali unit to add caustic length in unique development US caustic soda supplies will continue to grow in the coming years following an announcement by PCC Group that it intends to invest in a new 340,000 tons/year chlor-alkali plant at DeLisle, Mississippi. The new capacity will be built on Chemours site at DeLisle Mississippi with the intent to provide Chemours with reliable access to chlorine. The company intends to sell its caustic soda to strategic partners and into the open market. Construction on the unit is expected to begin in early-2026 and conclude in 2028. INSIGHT: New gas pipeline to provide support for ethane prices for US chems A new gas pipeline set to be built by Energy Transfer should provide support for natural gas and ethane prices in the Permian producing basin, lowering the likelihood that US chemical producers see another period of ultra-low costs for the main feedstock used to make ethylene. Olin to shut diaphragm chloralkali capacity that serves Dow's Freeport PO unit Olin plans to shut down its diaphragm-grade chloralkali capacity in Freeport, Texas, that provides feedstock to Dow's propylene oxide (PO) unit, the US-based chloralkali producer said on Thursday. ACC expects modest US chemicals volume recovery in 2025 – economist The American Chemistry Council (ACC) expects a 1.9% rebound in chemical volumes in 2025 after two consecutive years of declines as the US economy undergoes a soft landing and the housing market improves in the second half of the year, its chief economist said.

16-Dec-2024

HOUSTON (ICIS)–Olin plans to shut down its diaphragm-grade chloralkali capacity in Freeport, Texas, that provides feedstock to Dow's propylene oxide (PO) unit, the US-based chloralkali producer said on Thursday. Dow plans to shut down that PO unit at the end of 2025, and those plans prompted Olin to close the diaphragm-grade chloralkali capacity that serves the Dow facility. Olin's is restricting the shutdown to capacity that relies on asbestos-based technology. US regulators seek to end the use of asbestos in the chloralkali industry. The amount of diaphragm-grade chloralkali capacity that Olin plans to shut down at Freeport amounts to 450,000 electrochemical units (ECUs), according to the company. Olin already has shut down its diaphragm-grade chloralkali capacity in McIntosh, Alabama. It plans to transition its chloralkali capacity in Plaquemine, Louisiana, to non-asbestos-based technology, the company said. Chloralkali units produce caustic soda and chlorine. Thumbnail shows salt, which is used to make caustic soda and chlorine. Image by Alessandra Sarti/imageBROKER/Shutterstock (

12-Dec-2024

HOUSTON (ICIS)–The tariffs proposed by President-Elect Donald Trump on imports from Mexico, Canada and China would raise costs for the heavier grades of oil needed by US refineries as well as rare-earth elements used to make catalysts for downstream refining units. Trump said he intends to issue an executive order that would impose tariffs of 25% on imports from Mexico and Canada on January 20, his first day of office. He also announced intentions to impose a tariff of 10% on imports from China. This would be on top of the existing duties that the US already imposes on Chinese imports. Trump could decide to modify or even withdraw the proposals – especially if the US can reach a deal that addresses illegal immigration and drugs, the impetus behind the proposed tariffs. However, the tariffs as they are proposed by Trump would raise costs for key inputs used by US refiners. Outside of fuels, it could rise costs for fluoromaterials, since Mexico is the source of most of the imported feedstock. US REFINERIES DESIGNED FOR IMPORTS OF HEAVIER CRUDESUS refineries are generally designed to process grades of crude that are heavier than the oil it produces domestically from shale, said Michael Connolly, principal refining analyst for ICIS. As a result, the US exports its surplus of light oil and imports the heavier grades needed by its refineries. Those imports help fill out refining units that process heavier crude fractions, such as hydrocrackers, cokers, base oil units and fluid catalytic cracking (FCC) units, Connolly said. In 2023, the majority of those imports came from Canada and Mexico, as shown in the following table showing the top five sources of foreign crude. Figures are listed in thousands of barrels/day. COUNTRY IMPORTS % Canada 3,885 59.9 Mexico 733 11.3 Saudi Arabia 349 5.4 Iraq 213 3.3 Colombia 202 3.1 Total US imports 6,489 100 Source: Energy Information Administration (EIA) "If this tariff was to apply to crude, it would be damaging to the US refining industry and thus the US economy," Connolly said. The damage would stem from the nation's position as the world's largest exporter of refined products. In 2023, the US was the world's largest exporter of gasoline, with shipments of 900,000 bbl/day, according to the EIA. More than 500,000 bbl/day of those exports went to Mexico. The US is also a major exporter of distillate fuel oil, with shipments reaching 1.12 million bbl/day in 2023, according to the EIA. For petrochemicals, FCC units are important sources of propylene, so tariffs could have an effect on margins for propylene derivatives. FCC operations could receive another blow from the additional tariffs that the US could impose on imports of rare-earth materials from China. RARE EARTHS AND FCC CATALYSTSFCC catalysts are made with lanthanum and cerium. For most categories, China was the main source of these rare earths in 2023, as shown in the following table. Figures are in kilograms. HTS Code Product Imports from China Total imports  % 2846.10.0050 Cerium compounds other than cerium oxides 1,121,069 1,958,581 57.2 2846.90.2005 Rare-earth oxides except cerium oxides containing lanthanum as the predominant metal 52,045 479,885 10.8 2805.30.0005 Lanthanum, not intermixed or interalloyed 144,182 144,242 100.0 2846.90.8070 Mixtures of rare-earth carbonates containing lanthanum as the predominant metal 102,423 119,626 85.6 2805.30.0010 Cerium, not intermixed or interalloyed 3,262 3,466 94.1 Source: US International Trade Commission (ITC) Lanthanum and cerium are byproducts of the production of neodymium and dysprosium, two rare earth materials that are used to make magnets. TARIFFS ON MEXICAN HYDROFLUORIC ACIDIf the tariffs go through, they could raise costs for US producers of fluoromaterials. Hydrofluoric acid is the feedstock for almost all fluorochemicals and fluoropolymers, and Mexico accounted for nearly all of the 87 million kg of acid that the US imported in 2023, according to the ITC. Fluorochemicals are used to make refrigerants as well as blowing agents used to make polyurethane foams. Another fluorochemical, lithium hexafluorophosphate (LiPF6), is used as an electrolyte in lithium-ion batteries. For fluoropolymers, demand is growing because of their use in semiconductor fabrication plants (fabs), 5G telecommunication equipment and membranes used in fuel cells and green-hydrogen electrolysers. Hydrofluoric acid is also used as a catalyst in many alkylation units at refineries. Insight article by Al Greenwood Thumbnail shows a pump used to dispense fuel produced from refineries. Image by Shutterstock. (recast and adds "nearly", paragraph 17)

27-Nov-2024

LONDON (ICIS)–Here are some of the top stories from ICIS Europe for the week ended 22 November. Eastern EU nations call for duties on imports of fertilizers from Russia and Belarus Countries such as Poland, Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia have submitted a letter to the European Commission calling for customs duty to be imposed on imports of fertilizers from Russia and Belarus, the Polish Ministry of Development and Technology has confirmed. Europe apathetic to PO asset reviews as oversupply plagues market Two propylene oxide (PO) plants have been added to the pile of European assets under review as the market grapples with chronic oversupply, low utilisation and persistent low demand. Chems firms struggle to gain traction in Q3 The chemicals sectors’ third-quarter earnings period has underlined how little momentum has built up in the last 12 months, and how tepid expectations are for the closing months of the year. Tightening Russia oil supply may support oil benchmarks as Russia-Ukraine conflict marks 1,000th day Global oil benchmarks could find support from tighter Russian oil supply in coming weeks amid calls for stricter EU sanctions and escalating geopolitical tensions. Europe, US chemicals have most to lose from a new trade war Donald Trump’s resounding victory in the US presidential election gives him a powerful mandate for a policy agenda which includes ramping up trade tariffs across the board as he pursues his re-shoring agenda.

25-Nov-2024

SINGAPORE (ICIS)–South Korean refiner S-Oil's new petrochemical complex in Ulsan is now 42% complete as of end-October and is on track for completion in 2026. Shaheen accounts for about 87% of full-year 2024 capex Project progress slightly ahead of schedule S-Oil swung to Q3 net loss on poor refining, petrochemical margins Construction of the $7bn project called Shaheen – Arabic word for falcon – at the Onsan Industrial Complex of Ulsan City started in March 2023. Its mechanical completion is targeted by the first half of 2026. Total capital expenditure (capex) for the Shaheen project is projected at W2,716 billion ($1.95 billion) in 2024, up 85% year on year, and accounts for about 87% of S-Oil's overall capex this year. The company’s full-year capex at W3,136 billion, which includes costs of upgrade and maintenance works as well as marketing-related expenses, represents a 54% increase from 2023 levels. The Shaheen project will have a 1.8m tonne/year mixed-feed cracking facility; an 880,000 tonne/year linear low density polyethylene (LLDPE) unit; and a 440,000 tonne/year high density polyethylene (HDPE) plant. The site will have a thermal crude-to-chemical (TC2C) facility, which will convert crude directly into petrochemical feedstocks such as liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) and naphtha, and the cracker is expected to recycle waste heat for power generation in the refinery. Saudi Aramco, the world’s biggest crude exporter, owns more than 63% of S-Oil. The project update was included in S-Oil’s presentation slides on its Q3 financial results released on 4 November. The company swung to a Q3 net loss of W206 billion amid a sharp decline in refining and petrochemical earnings. in South Korean won (W) billion Q3 2024 Q3 2023 % Change Jan-Sept 2024 Jan-Sept 2023 % Change Revenue 8,841 9,000 -1.8 27,720 25,897 7.0 Operating income -415 859 200 1,411 -85.8 Net income -206 545 -61 788 The petrochemicals unit of S-OIL posted an operating income of W5.0 billion in the third quarter, an 89% year-on-year drop. Paraxylene (PX) and benzene markets weakened in Q3 due to increased supply amid reduced gasoline blending demand and restarts of production facilities after turnarounds. The company's PX spread to naphtha weakened to $271/tonne in Q3 from $425/tonne in the same period last year, while the benzene-naphtha spread rose to $315/tonne from $251/tonne in the same period a year earlier. In the downstream olefin market, polypropylene (PP) was bearish in the third quarter due to "abundant regional supply amid weak downstream demand". The refining unit posted an operating loss of W573.7 billion in the third quarter, swinging from the W666.2 billion profit in the same period a year earlier. The loss in the refining segment was mostly due to the one-off impact from the decline in oil prices and foreign exchange rates. On market conditions, the company said that the supply-demand environment and margins for refiners in Asia is expected to "gradually improve due to reduced operating rate from low margin condition and heavier maintenances year over year, amid continued stockpiling if winter heating oil". For Q4, the company expected the PX and benzene markets to be supported by fresh demand from new downstream capacities while gasoline demand stays slow. For downstream olefin markets, S-Oil said that PP and propylene oxide (PO) markets may show modest recovery "depending on the impact of China's economic stimulus measures amid ongoing capacity additions". Focus article by Nurluqman Suratman ($1 = W1,395)

18-Nov-2024

SINGAPORE (ICIS)–Here are the top stories from ICIS News Asia and the Middle East for the week ended 15 November. INSIGHT: India’s ADD findings on PVC have potential to reshape regional flows in wider Asia By Jonathan Chou 11-Nov-24 11:00 SINGAPORE (ICIS)–Asia's polyvinyl chloride (PVC) market players are assessing the potential ramifications following preliminary findings on India's PVC imports released by the country's Directorate General of Trade Remedies (DGTR). Asia petrochemical shares tumble as China stimulus disappoints By Jonathan Yee 11-Nov-24 15:04 SINGAPORE (ICIS)–Shares of petrochemical companies in Asia tumbled on Monday as China’s much-awaited stimulus measures failed to impress markets, while the US is likely to put up more trade barriers against the Asian giant following the re-election of Donald Trump as president. Asia toluene markets slump on waning regional demand By Melanie Wee 12-Nov-24 11:47 SINGAPORE (ICIS)–Asia’s toluene spot markets are being weighed down by a combination of burgeoning supply and lacklustre demand, at a time when arbitrage economics to divert material to the US were unviable. Asia petrochemical shares fall on strong US dollar, uncertain trade policies By Nurluqman Suratman 13-Nov-24 14:07 SINGAPORE (ICIS)–Shares of petrochemical companies in Asia extended losses on Wednesday, tracking weakness in regional bourses, amid a strong US dollar and uncertainty over trade policies of US President-elect Donald Trump which could fuel inflation. Shell Singapore site divestment deal to be completed in Q1 2025 By Nurluqman Suratman 14-Nov-24 11:41 SINGAPORE (ICIS)–Shell expects the deal to sell its energy and chemicals park in Singapore to Chandra Asri and Glencore will be completed by the first quarter of 2025, a company spokesperson said on Thursday. INSIGHT: China may accelerate PP exports amid intensified supply and demand imbalance By Lucy Shuai 14-Nov-24 13:00 SINGAPORE (ICIS)–China may accelerate PP exports in 2025 amid an intensified imbalance between supply and demand as a large number of new plants are expected to start up. PODCAST: SE Asia propylene to face additional supply, freight challenges in 2025 By Damini Dabholkar 15-Nov-24 11:28 SINGAPORE (ICIS)–Southeast Asia's propylene market faces significant challenges in 2025, with additional supply expected and freight rates continuing to impact downstream demand. Crimped supplies ease pressure on Asia VAM prices By Hwee Hwee Tan 15-Nov-24 14:36 SINGAPORE (ICIS)–Sporadic plant disruptions and crimped supplies in China are fuelling expectations of price competition easing across vinyl acetate monomer (VAM) import markets in Asia.

18-Nov-2024

SINGAPORE (ICIS)–Southeast Asia's propylene market faces significant challenges in 2025, with additional supply expected and freight rates continuing to impact downstream demand. In this latest podcast, ICIS senior editor Julia Tan speaks with senior analyst Shariene Goh to share the latest developments and expectations for what lies ahead next year. High freight rates likely to remain key challenge to PP exports, which could weigh on propylene demand Southeast Asia to take price direction from northeast Asia Net deficit for Indonesia despite Indonesia's LINE project

15-Nov-2024

SINGAPORE (ICIS)–Shell expects the deal to sell its energy and chemicals park in Singapore to Chandra Asri and Glencore will be completed by the first quarter of 2025, a company spokesperson said on Thursday. Shell assets will be key to Chandra Asri’s growth strategy Chandra Asri plans for second petrochemical complex still unclear Closing of deal originally scheduled for end-2024 The energy major on 8 May announced the sale, which includes the physical assets and commercial contracts in Singapore, to CAPGC – a joint venture majority-owned by Chandra Asri with Glencore holding a minority stake – for an undisclosed fee. The transaction was initially scheduled to be completed by the end of 2024. “The divestment is subject to regulatory clearance and other customary closing conditions,” the spokesperson said. “Subject to regulatory approval, the transaction is expected to complete by the first quarter of next year.” Shell and CAPGC have also signed crude supply and product offtake agreements that will come into effect following completion. A new entity under CAPGC called Aster Chemicals and Energy will operate the facilities and handle its crude oil purchases and fuel sales, newswire agency Reuters said in a 13 November report, citing unnamed sources. The Shell Energy and Chemicals Park (SECP) in Singapore comprises its integrated refining and chemicals assets on Pulau Bukom and Jurong Island. The Pulau Bukom assets include a 237,000 barrel/day refinery and a 1.1 million tonne/year ethylene cracker. It was Singapore’s first refinery in 1961. SECP KEY TO CHANDRA ASRI'S GROWTH PLANSChandra Asri in a 4 October statement said that its move to acquire the SECP assets aligns with its growth strategy of “going global” as it seeks to expand in the energy, chemical and infrastructure sector not only in Indonesia but also abroad. “Through SECP, which is one of the largest oil refineries and trading hubs in the world, Chandra Asri Group will source petroleum products, including gasoline, jet fuel, gas oil, and bitumen to support various industries in Indonesia,” the company said. “Additionally, Chandra Asri Group will help fill gaps in the supply of chemical products, such as monoethylene glycol (MEG), polyols, and ethylene, propylene, and styrene monomers, to support manufacturing processes in the country,” it said. “This will ensure that the country’s energy supply is secured as well as reducing dependencies on foreign entities.” In a presentation to investors in early August, Chandra Asri said that it will establish offtake agreements for both fuel and chemical products, utilizing Glencore's extensive trading network to “secure beneficial arrangements”. Chandra Asri currently operates Indonesia's sole naphtha cracker in Cilegon, which can produce 900,000 tonnes/year of ethylene and 490,000 tonnes/year of propylene. The new assets in Singapore will boost Chandra Asri’s overall production capacity from around 4.2 million tonnes/year currently to more than 18 million tonnes/year by 2026. The company is also the sole domestic producer of styrene monomer, ethylene, butadiene (BD), MTBE, and butene-1, with a new world-scale chlor-alkali ethylene dichloride (EDC) plant development on the horizon. The company’s planned second petrochemical complex, dubbed CAP2, in Cilegon includes a chlor-alkali plant that is expected to produce 420,000 tonnes/year of caustic soda and 500,000 tonnes/year of EDC. The chlor-alkali plant is expected to be completed by the end of 2026 but Chandra Asri has not yet provided a firm timeline of the other proposed plants previously announced for CAP2. Focus article by Nurluqman Suratman Thumbnail image: Chandra Asri’s olefins plant in Cilegon, Banten province (Source: Chandra Asri official website)

14-Nov-2024

HOUSTON (ICIS)–Oil and gas production, the main source of the feedstock and energy used by the petrochemical industry, should benefit from policies proposed by President-Elect Donald Trump, while hydrogen and renewable fuels could lose some of the support they receive from the federal government. Trump expressed enthusiastic and consistent support for oil and gas production during his campaign. He pledged to remove what he called the electric vehicle (EV) mandate of his predecessor, President Joe Biden. Trump may attempt to eliminate green energy subsidies in Biden's Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) BRIGHTER SENTIMENT ON ENERGYRegardless of who holds the presidency, US oil and gas production has grown because much of it has taken place on the private lands of the Permian basin. Private land is free from federal restrictions and moratoria on leases. That said, the federal government could indirectly restrict energy production, and statements from the president could sour the sentiment in the industry. During his term, US President Joe Biden antagonized the industry by accusing it of price gouging, halting new permits for LNG permits and revoking the permit for the Keystone XL oil pipeline on his first day in office. By contrast, Trump has pledged to remove federal impediments to the industry, such as permits, taxes, leases and restrictions on drilling. WHY ENERGY POLICY MATTERSPrices for plastics and chemicals tend to rise and fall with those for oil. For US producers, feedstock costs for ethylene tend to rise and fall with those for natural gas. Also, most of the feedstock used by chemical producers comes from oil and gas production. Policies that encourage energy production should lower costs for chemical plants. RETREAT FROM RENEWABLES, EVsTrump has pledged to reverse many of the sustainability policies made by Biden. Just as Trump did in his first term, he would withdraw from the Paris Agreement. For electric vehicles (EVs), Trump said he would "cancel the electric vehicle mandate and cut costly and burdensome regulations". He said he would end the following policies: The Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) recent tailpipe rule, which gradually restricts emissions of carbon dioxide (CO2) from light vehicles. The Department of Transportation's (DoT) Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) program, which mandates fuel-efficiency standards. These became stricter in 2024. The EPA was expected to decide if California can adopt its Advanced Clean Car II (ACC II) program, which would phase out the sale of combustion-based vehicles by 2035. If the EPA grants California's request, that would trigger similar programs in several other states. Given Trump's opposition to government restrictions on combustion-based automobiles, the EPA would likely reject California's proposal under his presidency or attempt to reverse it if approved before Biden leaves office. According to the Tax Foundation, Trump would try to eliminate the green energy subsidies in the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA). These included tax credits for renewable diesel, sustainable aviation fuel (SAF), blue hydrogen, green hydrogen and carbon capture and storage. In regards to the UN plastic treaty, it is unclear if the US would ratify it, regardless of Trump's position. The treaty could include a cap on plastic production, and such a provision would sink the treaty's chances of passing the US Senate. For renewable plastics, much of the support from the government involves research and development (R&D), so it did little to foster industrial scale production. WHY EVs AND RENEWABLES MATTERPolicies that promote the adoption of EVs would increase demand for materials used to build the vehicles and their batteries. Companies are developing polymers that can meet the heat and electrical challenges of EVs while reducing their weight. Heat management fluids made from base oils could help control the temperature of EV batteries and other components. If such EV policies reduce demand for combustion-based vehicles, then that could threaten margins for refineries. These produce benzene, toluene and xylenes (BTX) in catalytic reformers and propylene in fluid catalytic crackers (FCCs). Lower demand for combustion-based vehicles would also reduce the need for lubricating oil for engines, which would decrease demand for some groups of base oils. Polices that promote renewable power could help companies meet internal sustainability goals and increase demand for epoxy resins used in wind turbines and materials used in solar panels, such as ethylene vinyl acetate (EVA) and polyvinyl butyral (PVB). Insight article by Al Greenwood Thumbnail shows the White House. Image by Lucky-photographer.

07-Nov-2024