Asia to account for 45% of global polyethylene capacity additions through 2026

Asia is expected to lead the global polyethylene capacity additions between 2021 and 2026 with a share of 45%, according to GlobalData, the data and analytics company.

GlobalData’s latest report, Polyethylene Industry Installed Capacity and Capital Expenditure (CapEx) Forecast by Region and Countries including details of All Active Plants, Planned and Announced Projects, 2021-2026, reveals that Asia will have the largest capacity additions for the new build and expansion of the existing polyethylene projects during the forecast period.

Sudarshini Ennelli, Oil and Gas Analyst at GlobalData, says: “For the upcoming new build projects, Asia is expected to add a capacity of 27.0 million tons per annum (mtpa) from 67 planned and announced projects.”

China leads the region with a capacity of 10.39mtpa. Major capacity additions will be from Lianyungang Petrochemical Lianyungang Polyethylene Plant 3, Oriental Energy Maoming Polyethylene Plant 1, Oriental Energy Maoming Polyethylene Plant 2, and Tangshan Xu Yang Petrochemical Tangshan Polyethylene Plant 1, each contributing 0.5mtpa.

Ennelli concludes: “India follows next with a capacity of 8.99mtpa. The top three projects adding the highest capacity are Haldia Petrochemicals Kakinada Polyethylene Plant, Haldia Petrochemicals Balasore Polyethylene Plant, and HPCL Rajasthan Refinery Pachpadra Polyethylene Plant (Swing), contributing 1.2mtpa, 1.1mtpa, and 0.8mtpa, respectively.”