New and emerging natural gas-based routes to ethylene are compared to conventional ethane-based steam cracking. Technology and economics of Synfuels International ECLAIRS methane to acetylene to ethylene process and methane to MTO route are compared to ethane steam cracking on a Middle Eastern basis.
This study takes a long-term strategic view of the global market out to 2030 covering the prospects for gas supply and demand, infrastructure investment in gas pipelines, storage and LNG facilities, as well as international gas trade and wholesale gas prices. Three scenarios are considered which are designed to test what might happen under different market states: broad balance, supply surplus, and supply deficit. Projections are based using Nexant's propreitary World Gas Model.
Technology and economics for ethylene production are presented. Cost issues associated with various feedstocks such as ethane, E/P, propane, n-butane, isobutane, light naphtha, and gas oil are analyzed. Methanol to ethylene and ethanol to ethylene technologies are assessed.