Special Reports
Special Reports
Our Special Reports analyze issues of topical importance to the energy and chemicals industry. Each report explores the subject matter in detail to providing an up-to-date and thorough understanding of the related issue allowing investment decisions and new business strategy to be formulated.
Recent reports include:
Global Polyolefins Technology Report - 2024
This report provides detailed analysis of developments in polyolefins technology (LDPE, LLDPE, HDPE, polypropylene), including all major licensed technologies, as well as those that are not licensed but important to the polyolefins industry. The report includes cost of production estimates and carbon intensity analysis for the United States, China, and Middle East, and also focuses on factors within the industry and the external market that shape technology developments and competitive positioning.
Small Modular Nuclear for the Chemical Industry: Cracking Atoms to Make Molecules
This report on small modular nuclear reactors (nuclear SMR) as a low carbon intensity source of energy for the chemical and fuel industries, covering process applicability, process challenges, costs and cost expectations, and major nuclear SMR offerings.
Sustainable Aviation Fuel: Soaring Over the Blendwall
This report assesses SAF production pathways in terms of their technical, economic, and carbon intensity aspects, in line with increasing pressure to decarbonize—along with a key focus on fuel blends that will allow surpassing the existing blendwalls (a potential barrier to net zero ambitions). Key technologies covered at the cost of production level include integration of key pathways for producing paraffins, isoparaffins, and aromatic blendstocks, and blending into a finished product that does not require blending with a fossil fuel. These routes include HVO, ETJ, MTJ, FT, MTA, ETA, as well as traditional refining units with renewable feeds such as isomerization, alkylation, FCC, etc.
Report Series: Low Carbon Intensity Chemicals Technoeconomic and Carbon Intensity Studies
These reports compare the various options for lowering the carbon intensity of chemicals production via technoeconomic, carbon intensity, and strategic analysis. Regional cost and carbon intensity baselines, comparative carbon intensities (including breakdown and analysis by Scope 1, 2, and 3 Emissions) of decarbonization configurations, cost of productions, and impacts of carbon tax/credits on competitiveness (including break-even values) are analyzed across four regions: US, Brazil, China, and Western Europe. Additional chemicals and/or regions/countries are also available. Off-the-shelf coverage includes the following reports:
Low Carbon Intensity Ethylene - A Technoeconomic and Carbon Intensity Study
Low Carbon Intensity Aromatics - A Technoeconomic and Carbon Intensity Study
Low Carbon Intensity Propylene - A Technoeconomic and Carbon Intensity Study
Low Carbon Intensity Hydrogen - A Technoeconomic and Carbon Intensity Study
Emerging Lithium Extraction Technologies - A Technoeconomic and Strategic Review
This report is a comprehensive study of the emerging lithium extraction technologies in the market. In this study, NexantECA has produced detailed analyses of the process technologies being developed as well as cost of production estimates for several well-developed routes. To summarize the technology landscape, NexantECA provides a strategic review of the technologies by looking at the stage of development, technology characteristics and perceived competitiveness of each route.
Thermal Conversion Technologies – An Answer to Recycling Plastic Waste?
This report examines the technical, economic, and strategic aspects of thermal conversion (e.g., pyrolysis and hydrothermal treatment) technologies that are used to recycle mixed plastics waste. Selected developers of technologies were profiled and ranked under different criteria. The economic analysis of thermal conversion technologies, involving the production of feedstocks for olefins are provided for different geographic regions. In addition, the report includes an analysis of the plastic-based naphtha delivered cost competitiveness to Western Europe from the USGC, China, Japan, and Southeast Asia. An ethylene carbon intensity analysis is provided. Strategic and business considerations are also included in the report.
Polyalphaolefins – Changing Market Landscape for Synthetic Lubricants
This special report will provide a detailed assessment of the key end-use trends and the global market outlook for polyalphaolefins (PAOs). Regional supply, demand and net trade balances for PAO will be developed for 2021-2040, as well as price forecasts for low- and high-viscosity PAOs under multiple crude oil price scenarios. In addition, profit margins and delivered cost competitiveness will be examined.
Cost Curves and the Evaluation of Petrochemicals Cost Competitiveness and Investment Attractiveness
The petrochemical industry has added over one billion tons of annual production capacity over the last decade, overwhelming demand in some sectors. But as consumption catches up, where will the next investment opportunities be? This report uses cost curve analysis to understand production cost competitiveness and couples results with offtake options to various demand centers, regional price and market forecasts, and capital investment to provide insight into potential project margins, profitability, and return on investment for products in the major petrochemical value chains including ethylene, propylene, butadiene, aromatics, and their key derivatives.