Mideast PC producers may face feedstock shortage.

摘要

The Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), which consists of Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Kuwait, Bahrain, Oman, and Qatar, may have to deal with a shortage of gas feedstocks for its petrochemical industry in as litde as two years' time, sources say. The GCC PC industry accounts for 11% of the global petrochemical market, but according to a report from Booz & Company, it may have to begin using imported feedstocks before much longer. Part of the reason for the shortage is the rapid rate of expansion that is planned in the near future. Over the next five years, the GCC's output is expected to rise to over 17% of the global market. Capacity in Qatar, in particular, is expected to grow by leaps and bounds; the country will increase its chemical and petrochemical output from 9.3MM mt/y at present to 23MM mt/y by 2020. In 2014 alone, Qatar Petroleum expects to finance petrochemical projects worth $10B-13B.