MEETING THE OLEFIN DEMAND - 1980-2000

This paper reviews the present situation on the production and demand of ethylene (and other olefins) with projection in the future. Several firms have reported projects to develop whole crude feed olefin processes which presumably could also use residual oil. The concept is not new, but the technology needs development to insure high yield and energy efficiency. Dow is now building a sizable demonstration unit that will integrate all the key process features into a single process. When these plants are in production, ethylene will be coming from the full range of petroleum sources including natural gas liquids. Petroleum will continue to be the best source of olefin feedstock through the rest of this century, but industry must look forward to the use of coal, tar sands and biomass for its longer range needs.