6 mln tpa ethylene to come onstream in late 2007

09-Nov-06

New ethylene capacities totalling 6 million tpa from the Middle East and Asia are expected to come online starting late 2007. Of the 4 major projects for commissioning in 2007, Iranian firm National Petrochemical Co. owns three: * 1.1 million tpa olefins unit at Maroon Petrochemical Complex * 1 million tpa olefins plant at Pars Petrochemical Complex * 1.32 million tpa olefins unit at Jam Petrochemical Complex. The fourth project scheduled for start up is Formosa Plastic Corp's 1.2 million tpa ethylene plant. The four projects have a combined capacity of 4.6 million tpa, which nearly equals Japan's local annual demand. The 2007 startups mark the first wave of the influx of new ethylene supply. During 2007-2010, more ethylene plants will come onstream, further boosting the region's output to more than 30 mln tpa.