China to Lead Ethylene Capacity Expansion in Asia

p> PUWORLD(2010-05-11) Asia played an important role in world ethylene market. By the end of 2009, annual production capacity in Asia had reached 43.8 million tons and was predicted to increase by 16 million tons before 2015. For the second half of 2009, there was another newly-built 4.1 million tons capacity in Asia. According to Facts Global Energy, 5.4 million tons capacity would mushroom in Asia in 2010.

In 2005, China exceeded Japan for the first time and became the world s second largest ethylene producer. By the end of 2009, ethylene production capacity in China had reached 13.9 million tons and would increase by 8.7 million tons before 2015, 42% of which would put into operation in next two years. As yet, China s annual ethylene production capacity was 2.5 million tons less than the world s largest ethylene producer U.S., but gap of production capacity between the two countries were bridging up. From 2010 to 2015, 54% of Asian newly-built capacity would be set up in China. In 2015, production capacity of ethylene in China would surpass the total capacity in Japan, South Korea and Taiwan area.