VIDEO: Different challenges emerge for Europe’s ethylene, propylene markets

LONDON (ICIS)–The European ethylene and propylene markets have long been focused on the potential impacts of the much publicised advent of new shale gas-driven ethylene and derivatives capacities in the US, but another challenge has emerged to complicate things further.

The spring 2019 cracker maintenance slate shows a significant crunch period – involving two of Europe’s largest crackers, with a combined nameplate ethylene capacity of about 2m tonnes – that could offset and or delay the US impacts.

Caroline Murray interviews Senior Editor for olefins Nel Weddle, who outlines how cracker turnarounds which could be a main driver for the markets through the rest of the year, while looking back at an already rather extraordinary first half.