COURSE SUMMARY

This course is designed to cover the technology, economics and markets for aromatics used in the chemical industry. It will explain the relationship of aromatics to downstream polymers and organic chemicals, and to the upstream feedstocks chain. It will discuss availability and value, and the resulting pricing of aromatics. New developments in the aromatics business will also be discussed.

Please note: a laptop and up-to-date version of Office would be an advantage in order to engage in market data; however it is not essential.

WHO SHOULD ATTEND?

Delegates encouraged to attend include managers, planners, business development, and commercial and marketing supply personnel from both established petrochemical producers and new entrants in the aromatics business. In addition, marketing and trading staff from the refining and gasoline industry will benefit, as well as logistics or support staffs are urged to attend. The course will also be of practical use to downstream consumers and derivative manufacturers.

COURSE CONTENTS

Crude Oil

• Refining and petrochemical feedstock

Petrochemical Economics

• Determining the cost of production
• Cash and variable costs
• Pricing

Industry Structure and Feedstock Linkages

• What are aromatics?
• Benzene, toluene, xylenes, ortho and para xylene, ethyl benzene and cyclohexane
• The relationship with polymers and the gasoline pool
• Sources: reforming, naphtha cracking, coal tar distillates, dealkylation

Aromatics Markets

• Benzene for styrene, phenol, cyclohexane, aniline
• Toluene for TDI, caprolactam dealkylation and disproportionation
• Xylenes for para- and ortho-xylene
• Para-xylene for PTA and DMT
• Ortho xylene for phthalic anhydride
• Cyclohexane for adipic acid and caprolactam and ultimately nylon

The Technology of Aromatics

• Process descriptions and flow schemes; pyrolysis gasoline extraction, reforming and reformate extraction, toluene hydrodealkylation and disproportionation
• Benzene from coal
• Isomerization and separation of para- and ortho-xylene
• Ethylbenzene by distillation from xylenes
• Cyclohexane by hydrogenation of benzene

The Valuation of Aromatics and Feedstocks

• Interaction of aromatics streams with refining
• The petrochemical and refinery interface
• Octane value
• Is it the end for aromatics into the gasoline pool?
• What are the alternative outlets?

New Development in Aromatics

• Aromax and other routes by light naphtha reforming

Aromatics Strategy and Economics

• Driving forces for aromatics producers

Group exercises

• There will be a Class exercise on the impact of Oil and Gas markets on future aromatics availability, valuation and marketing
• Paraxylene and PTA

Polymers

• Polymers from aromatics
• Polymers from olefins

MANAGER'S ROI

• Have a solid understanding of the fundamentals of the aromatics business: its feedstocks, their sources and relative costs, its production processes, its end markets and drivers of supply and demand
• Have the ability to develop and analyse cost of production models and to recognise relative cost advantage
• Have an understanding of their suppliers’ and customers’ businesses, their economics and drivers
• Make better informed decisions and be able to react with confidence to market events, through an understanding of the implications and linkages through the aromatics supply chain