South Korea’s ethylene output to rise to 12.6 million tons/year

South Korea’s ethylene output is estimated to increase to 12.6 million tons/year in 2021 from 9.6 million tons last year, and rise further to 14.2 million tons/year in 2024, according to local media.

The higher production is the result of expansion as well as building of new facilities by several producers.

Among those companies that are expanding are Yeocheon NCC with ethylene output rising from 1.9 million tons/year to 2.3 million tons/year, and Hanwha Total NCC with production to increase from 1.4 million tons/year to 1.6 million tons/year. Yeocheon NCC’s commercial operations are expected to start later this month while Hanwha’s expansion is scheduled to be completed in the first half of the year.

Meanwhile, Hyundai Oilbank and its subsidiary Hyundai Chemical are building a heavy feed petrochemical complex and when construction is completed during the first half of this year, it will produce 750,000 tons/year of ethylene, 850,000 tons/year of propylene, 500,000 tons/year of PP and 150,000 tons/year of butadiene.

Among others, GS Caltex is building a mixed feed cracker which will produce 700,000 tons/year of ethylene and 500,000 tons/year of propylene, and S-Oil will build facilities which will produce 1.5 million tons/year of ethylene.