Image Description

New Petrochemical Market Dynamics – Agenda

Agenda

Course introductions and objectives

The “New Normal”:  A headline introduction

  • A brief reminder of the olefins and aromatics value chains
  • How the industry grew: The old economic, social and political context
  • The new industry landscape: Geopolitics, debts, demographics and sustainability
  • The evolving links with oil, gas, circular and renewable feedstocks

Discussion and coffee break

Implications for short-term markets

  • Why traditional down- and upcycle analysis needs to be questioned: The risk of no return to the old market conditions
  • In this context, scenarios for polyolefins trade flows, supply and demand over the next 18 months
  • A discussion on what this could mean for how pricing markets work

Searching for new business models: A long-term perspective         

  • Commodity petrochemicals: The Middle East, the US and China to dominate
  • The scale and nature of restructuring in Europe, South Korea and Japan
  • Smaller, more niche and a focus on sustainability: A way forward for those who can’t win in commodities

Course conclusions and discussion