Ethanolamine production expanded rapidly in China

• Publisher: Elsevier Science
• Year: 2010
• Weight: 54 KB
• Volume: 2010
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 1351-4210
• DOI: 10.1016/s1351-4210(10)70318-8

✦ Synopsis

2006 to 22.22 M tonne/y in 2009, with output rising from 17.85 M tonnes to 20 M tonnes. Global EO capacity is forecast to rise by 1.959 M tonne/y in 2010-2012, excluding Chinese capacity, which reached 673,000 tonne/y in 2009. The largest Chinese EO producer (136,000 tonne/y) in 2009 was Sinopec Shanghai Petrochemical Co Ltd, which also operates 605,000 tonne/y of ethylene glycol (EG) capacity. However, the start-up in 4Q 2010 of a 70,000 tonne/y EO unit will enable Jiaxeng Sanjiang Chemical Co Ltd to become the largest producer with 190,000 tonne/y total capacity. Around 70% of the EO produced in China is used for EG production, although more than 300 EO downstream products are produced in the country. China is currently reliant on imports of ethylene glycol ethers (120,555 tonnes in 2009), ethanolamines (152,140 tonnes) and nonionic surfactants (272,610 tonnes). The price of EO in China has fluctuated during Jan 2009-Jul 2010, and, in particular, has dropped recently from about RMB Yuan 13,000/tonne in May 2010 to just over RMB Yuan 10,000/tonne in Jul 2010. Factors underlying these price fluctuations are elucidated. Projects due to be completed in 2010-2013 will increase Chinese EO capacity by 1.281 M tonne/y. The largest unit due on stream in 2011 is that being built by BASF-YPC Co Ltd (100,000 tonne/y). Jiangsu Yinyan Chemical Co Ltd is reportedly constructing a 400,000 tonne/y EO facility in several stages.