# Ethylene

The largest-volume organic chemical, a two-carbon gas cracked from ethane or naphtha and turned mostly into polyethylene, glycols and PVC.

Source page: https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/ethylene/

Commodity chemicals · Olefins · No. 23

- Single chemical
- Feedstock: Oil, gas or coal
- about 180-185 Mt produced a year (2024, indicative: 231 Mt capacity x about 80% utilisation; Argus put 2023 demand at 174.3 Mt)
- 1.6 t CO₂e per t
- HS 290121
 Commodity chemicals · Olefins · Foundation · Matter

The world added 48 Mt of ethylene capacity in five years, mostly in China; Asian crackers then lost money three years straight.

Chart: Illustration: Ethylene

##### Where it comes from

Chart: Map of where it comes from

Ethane, propane or naphtha is heated with steam to about 850 C in a cracker, then the gas is chilled to about -100 C to separate polymer-grade ethylene.

##### Three things to know

1. Ethane crackers in the US and Gulf turn about 80% of feed into ethylene, while naphtha crackers yield only about 30%.
2. Cracker utilisation fell from 89% in 2018 to 79% in 2023 as capacity outran demand.
3. Cracking emits about 1.5-2 t of CO2 per tonne; electric furnaces piloted at Ludwigshafen since 2024 aim to cut that by up to 90%.

##### The journey

1. 1 **Feedstock**Ethane from gas, or refinery naphtha
2. 2 **Steam cracking**Furnaces heat feed to about 850 C
3. 3 **Cryogenic separation**Chilled to -100 C, 99.9% ethylene
4. 4 **On-site use**Mostly piped within the same complex
5. 5 **Derivatives**Polyethylene, glycols, PVC and styrene
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## Other sections

- [Overview](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/ethylene/overview/index.md)
- [Correlation](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/ethylene/correlation/index.md)
- [Production route](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/ethylene/routes/index.md)
- [Production](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/ethylene/production/index.md)
- [Feedstocks](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/ethylene/feedstocks/index.md)
- [Cycles](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/ethylene/cycles/index.md)
- [Trading](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/ethylene/trading/index.md)
- [Movement](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/ethylene/movement/index.md)
- [Regulation](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/ethylene/regulation/index.md)
- [Characteristics](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/ethylene/characteristics/index.md)
- [Emissions](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/ethylene/emissions/index.md)
- [Relationships](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/ethylene/links/index.md)