Huge natural gas reserves and cheap feedstock availability had turned the Middle East into a hub of the global petrochemical industry. But as reported by GlobalData, the Middle East is now facing a natural gas scarcity. This is due to increasing demand and inefficient utilization of subsidized natural gas by energy intensive industries. Since feedstock costs determine the success of petrochemical producers, and natural gas is the primary feedstock used in the Middle East, its scarcity will affect the petrochemical producers considerably. 

Natural gas production in Saudi Arabia, Iran and Qatar is rapidly increasing, but unlikely to fulfil the requirement of the petrochemical industry, and the burgeoning demand from the power and transportation sectors too. The petrochemical feedstock supply trend is changing, and while Middle Eastern countries and Canada have lower ethane supplies, US and Brazil are benefiting from the discovery of shale and pre-salt reserves respectively. The huge natural gas reserve in shale rocks in the US has increased its natural gas supply. In the next decade there will be a more limited availability of naphtha as most Asian and Middle Eastern refiners like Saudi Aramco and China’s Sinopec and Petrochina are integrating downstream into their petrochemical capacities. Remaining petrochemical producers are searching for other conventional and non-conventional feedstock options, the most attractive alternative being shale-gas derived ethane in the US. Being the world’s third-biggest coal reserves after USA and Russia, China’s alternative feedstock option is coal. With coal as the primary feedstock, Nexant anticipates an increase in MTO and methanol-to-propylene capacities.

To address the changing landscape of the olefins and polyolefins industry, Mr Sheng Hong, Leader-Petrochemicals Service from McKinsey & Company, with his session entitled ‘Feedstock Analysis: Naptha vs Natural Gas’, will examine the impact of shale gas revolution and the US gas market, present a crude and naphtha analysis and share the economics of LPG as a feedstock at the 13^th Asia Olefins & Polyolefins Markets in Shanghai on 09-10 July. Analyzing  the scenario in China is  Mr. Qu Liang, Engineer at Petrochina Planning & Engineering Institute who will deliver a presentation titled ‘China Market Outlook on Ethylene, Propylene, PP & PE’. To attend this conference, Register here. Or contact Ms. Huiyan at huiyan@cmtsp.com.sg for queries.

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Iran is set to open two petrochemical projects in the Pars Special Economic Energy Zone (Assaluyeh), said a senior official at National Iranian Petrochemical Company (NIPC). The country also inaugurated 3 important petrochemical projects in Mahshahr Petrochemical Special Economic Zone recently. In the past few years, Iran has expanded the range and volume of its petrochemical products. After Saudi Arabia, the NPIC is the second largest producer and exporter of petrochemicals in the Middle East.

Ahmad Reza Heidarnia, projects director for the NIPC said that the Kaviyan Petrochemical Complex (Olefin 11), the world’s largest ethylene producer and West Ethylene Pipeline will come on stream shortly. He also added that the West Ethylene Pipeline has a final capacity of 2.5 million tons per annum, and 1 million tons of ethylene will be produced by the Kaviyan Petrochemical Complex by the end of the first half of the current Iranian year which started in March 19, 2012. Kaviyan Petrochemical Complex will add 2.18 million tons to Iran’s annual petrochemical capacity.

An increase of 3.5 million tons per annum of petrochemical production in the country is anticipated with the launch of the West Ethylene Pipeline and the construction of 11 petrochemical complexes.

In view of these developments and many more in the pipeline the 13^th Asia Olefins & Polyolefins Markets in Shanghai will analyze the new expansions of projects in the Middle East and Asia and how the shale gas evolution will impact this market. Mr. Rashid Hussain Syed, Vice President at Al-Azzaz will share more on the petrochemical scenario in the Middle East in his session entitled, ‘The Changing Dynamics of Middle East Petrochemical Outlook’.

Furthermore, other industry experts at the conference will also examine the global olefins and polyolefins market outlook. Register here to attend the event on 09-10 July.  For further enquiries, contact Ms. Huiyan at huiyan@cmtsp.com.sg

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Based on the 12^th five-year plan which is to hold through March 2017, the Indian petrochemical and polymer sectors stand poised for major advancements. The large and steadily growing middle class with an increasingly disposable income is a key factor in the forecast for 2025, wherein the country will be one among the world’s five largest consumer markets.

Polymer consumption and GDP growth are closely linked, and the Indian economy shows the fastest growth-rate, beating China. According to recently released government estimates, the GDP growth in the year would be at 6.9%. Secretary General at the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce (FICCI; New Delhi) said that this would be the lowest growth in the past three years but the Indian economy despite, recent setbacks, is expected to bounce back to traditional growth rates of 8.5%-9% per year. The FICCI forecasts for 2013 show GDP growth of 7%-7.5%. "Polymers play a pivotal role in India's GDP growth," says S. Gopal, managing director of Chemplast Sanmar (Chennai), a producer of polyvinylchloride (PVC).

A significant demand for polymers is expected owing to Government initiatives as well as introduction of investment capital into water management and rural infrastructure. Large investments in the petrochemical and polymer sectors will be required to achieve the targets of the 12^th five-year plan. As against the $500 billion spent on infrastructure in the previous plan, the investment in infrastructure is expected to double to $1 trillion. Polyolefins account for about 5 kg of India's per capita polymers consumption, including 2.8 kg of polypropylene (PP) and 2.1 kg of polyethylene (PE), says S. Mitra, executive director/petrochemicals at Indian Oil (New Delhi).

In order to meet the growing demand, Indian petrochemicals producers, including Reliance, the country’s largest player, Gail India; Indian Oil; ONGC Petro Additions Ltd. are expanding  and/or establishing new capacities.

The 13^th Asia Olefins & Polyolefins Markets on 09-10 July 2012 in Shanghai seeks to cover a variety of topics including areas such as Growth forecast & emerging applications of PP/PE/HDPE/LLDPE, Global olefins and polyolefins market and price outlook, New expansion projects in the Middle East, India, China and South East Asia, and Market potential of bioplastics growth in Asia.

The event details are currently being finalized and will be available shortly. For queries, email Ms.Huiyan huiyan@cmtsp.com.sg

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Samsung Total Petrochemicals will install LyondellBasell technologies' Lupotech T process technology at its new Low Density Polyethylene (LDPE) and Ethyl Vinyl Acetate (EVA) copolymer plant. The 200kt per year LDPE and EVA copolymer plant in Daesan, South Korea, is expected to begin its operations in 2013. LyondellBasell Olefins and Polyolefins, Europe, Asia, International (EAI), and Technology Senior Vice President Bob Patel commented that Lupotech T is the clear market leader in LDPE and EVA technology with over 9 million tonnes per year of licensed capacity and this is the second polyolefin process technology license agreement with Samsung Total.

More updates on growth forecast & emerging applications of PP/PE/HDPE/LLDPE, new expansions projects in Middle East, India, China & SE Asia will be provided at CMT’s 13th Asia Olefins & Polyolefins Markets to be held on 09-10 Jul, 2012 in Shanghai. Conference details are currently being finalized. To reserve seats Pre-Register here or please send your queries to Ms. Huiyan, huiyan@cmtsp.com.sg

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