Japan’s 2023 petchem output falls with cracker rates

Japan's production of major petrochemical goods declined in 2023 from the previous year on the back of lower ethylene cracker operating rates.

Ethylene output totalled 5.3mn t last year, down by 1.7pc from a year ago, according to the Japan Petrochemical Industry Association. Cracker operating rates averaged 81pc, lower by seven percentage points from 2022 as petrochemical export demand, especially from China, was lower and rising commodity prices curbed domestic plastic demand.

Polypropylene (PP) and low-density polyethylene (LDPE) production fell by 3.3pc to 2.1mn t and by 9.4pc to 1.2mn t respectively. Ethylene glycol output dropped by 24pc to 267,000t, while acrylonitrile production fell by 19pc to 341,000t. Styrene butadiene rubber (SBR) output fell by 11pc to 307,000t.

Production of aromatics also fell, with xylene and benzene output down by 6.8pc to 4.5mn t and by 6.2pc to 2.9mn t respectively. Toluene output dropped by 15pc to 1.2mn t.

But production of polyvinyl chloride (PVC) rose by 0.8pc on the year to 1.5mn t, although shipments to domestic consumers hit a record low in 2023.

Ethylene production fell by 0.9pc on the year to 477,600t in December 2023. Cracker operating rates averaged 80.4pc, down by one percentage point from December 2022. Cracker rates were also down by 3.7 percentage points from November 2023 after month-on-month rises from August-November 2023.

PP production fell by 5.9pc from a year earlier to 171,500t and LDPE output declined by 1.1pc to 116,400t in December. Acrylonitrile production dropped by 4.7pc to 30,600t. Xylene output fell by 19pc to 346,500t, while benzene and toluene production dropped by 2pc to 258,500t and by 9.8pc to 106,200t respectively.

But PVC production rose by 9.7pc on the year to 140,700t in December. Ethylene glycol and SBR output increased by 5.3pc to 27,700t and by 1.6pc to 31,300t respectively.

By Nanami Oki