Europe naphtha cracker margins slip, LPG margins rise

LONDON (ICIS)–European contract and spot cracker margins based on naphtha feedstock slipped in the week ending 17 March, according to ICIS margin analysis on Tuesday.

Euro-denominated naphtha costs were flat but a 2% decline in contract and spot co-products credits saw contract cracker margins fall by 2% and spot margins by 4% week on week.

Contract cracker margins based on liquified petroleum gas (LPG) rose by 5%, on the back of a 4% fall in euro-denominated LPG feedstock costs and in spite of a 1% fall in co-products credits.

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Pictured above: BASF’s steam cracker in Ludwigshafen, Germany