Petrochemicals: An In-Depth Introduction

Understanding petrochemicals: Feedstock dynamics and industry fundamentals

1 hour : Understanding petrochemicals: industry development, basic production processes and building blocks

• How the industry has developed over the years
• Overview of the petrochemicals value chain: terminology
  explained
• Paraffins (alkanes), olefins (alkenes) and aromatics
  introduced
• Steam cracking to make the building blocks
• Recycling: Introducing basic concepts and terminology

15 minutes : Break

Petrochemical building blocks and their major applications

1 hour : Olefins : Ethylene, propylene and butadiene

• Ethylene and derivatives: major sources, value chains and end-uses of PE, EO, EG, PET and the vinyls chain
• Propylene: the versatile polypropylene (PP, CAN, Alcohols, PO and other derivatives). Sources of propylene and on-purpose processes
• Butadiene: The difference between raf 1&2, synthetic rubbers and other C4 derivatives

15 minutes : Value chain exercise: Olefins

10 minutes : Summary and conclusion

1 hour Aromatics : Benzene, toluene and xylenes

• Primary and secondary sources of aromatics
• Benzene and derivatives: value chains and end-uses
• Polymers made from styrene
• Tensions in the phenol-acetone chains
• Paraxylene to polyester
• Phthalates from orthoxylene
• Market dynamics: Demand and supply

10 minutes : Value chain exercise: Aromatics

10 minutes : Break

45 minutes : Examining oil and its relationship with petrochemicals

• Overview of the oil refining industry
• Crude oil quality measurements
• Crude distillation, FCC and catalytic reforming processes
• Where petrochemicals are produced in refineries
• Crude oil pricing, and its influence on petrochemicals

• Understanding the link between biorefineries, bio-feedstocks, biofuels and biochemicals
• Key business drivers: net-zero targets, evolving policies, sustainability concerns, competition for feedstocks and more
• Opportunities and challenges across the transport and chemicals sectors  

20 minutes : Summary and conclusion

Petrochemical market trends and understanding cost drivers

• Types of natural gas: NGLs, LPGs and condensates
• Natural gas distribution and LNG
• Growth of shale gas and the fracking process
• Ethane cost advantage
• The impact of shale gas on US competitiveness
• Emerging trade in ethane
• Production, consumption and reserves
• Methanol and ammonia from natural gas
• Olefins and growing fuel uses from methanol

45 minutes : Understanding petrochemicals pricing and cost drivers

• How markets function and prices are set
• Types of prices: Spot and contract pricing
• Pricing jargon clarified
• Main price drivers – cost, supply, demand and sentiment
• ICIS price assessment explained
• Price reporting challenges; manipulation and illiquid
  markets

10 minutes : Break

1 hour : Petrochemicals – a changed world

• Petrochemicals are a global business: who are the leaders; what are their roles?
• Key business drivers: Feedstock, markets, logistics and more
• Global and regional chemicals output; domination of China
• The key industries for petrochemicals
• Strategic moves and creating winning partnerships
• Trade flows and shifting regional influences
• Industry challenges and opportunities: social pressure and tightening controls, key trends in the drive to net zero

20 minutes : Summary and conclusion

Future trends: Looking into factors that are shaping the future of the petrochemicals industry

30 Minutes : Application: Knowledge survey & interactive discussion

1 hour : Inflation, the new China and global petrochemicals

• The global demand context
• European production and demand challenges
• US capacities and the ethane advantage
• The importance of China, China’s long-term slowdown and rising self-sufficiency
• A long-term global outlook: Demographics, geopolitics and sustainability

15 minutes : Summary and conclusion