Ethane imports to Europe: An option with challenges

摘要

Europe's cost-competitiveness handicap in petrochemicals continues to grow in comparison with other regions. The continent's petrochemicals sector operates in an environment where key production costs—labor, energy, and feedstock—are high, and demand for commodity chemicals is sluggish. Naphtha is Europe's main raw material, so expanding the use of less-costly ethane as feedstock, be it sourced locally or imported, remains the best chance for the region's petrochemicals industry to regain some competitiveness.