US olefins to tighten in 2017.

摘要

Prices for ethylene and propylene started the out on the upswing. Demand for ethylene started out the year strong, and with seasonal maintenance right around the corner, sources said, buyers are building up inventories to prepare for tight supplies. Before the end of the 1Q, Occidental Chemical and Mexichem are planning to start up a new steam cracker with the capacity to make 544K mt/y of ethylene, and in the second of half of the year, several other units—being built by Chevron Phillips Chemical, Dow Chemical and ExxonMobil—will start up. Sources said, however, that ethylene pricing should remain solid until 4Q anyway.