Monoethylene glycol: Production
Why the world builds far more than it uses
What this tab covers Who makes it and how much: world capacity and output, utilisation, the top producing countries and companies globally and in India, concentration, new capacity coming, and each region's position.| Measure | Figure | Detail | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| World capacity | about 60-65 Mt/yr globally (2025, indicative) | Chemical Market Analytics, Oct 2022 (53.7 Mt nameplate in 2022, up 5.5 Mt or 11.4%, with up to 8 Mt more by end-2023, over 90% in China); 2025 total indicative | |
| World output | about 35 Mt (2025, indicative) | indicative | |
| Capacity utilisation | about 55-60% globally (indicative); China EO operating rate 69% in Oct 2025 | Coal-based units in China often run below 60% when margins are negative (indicative). Satellite's 800 kt/yr unit was restarting in October 2025. | Argus Oct 2025; indicative |
| Concentration | China about 45% of capacity; China plus Saudi Arabia about 56% (indicative) | SABIC and its affiliates are the largest single producer; MEGlobal (Kuwait), Sinopec, Reliance, Formosa/Nan Ya, Shell and Lotte follow (indicative). | indicative |
| New capacity | mainly China, e.g. Yulong 1 Mt/yr (Oct 2025) | New Chinese integrated refinery-crackers add EO/EG trains. Elsewhere few new units; some Western EO/EG closures (Clariant Gendorf EO unit by end-2025). | Argus Oct 2025 |
Top producing countries
China 45% · about 28 Mt/yr including about 10 Mt coal-based (indicative) Saudi Arabia 11% · about 7 Mt/yr (indicative) United States 7% · about 4.5 Mt/yr (indicative) Taiwan 3% · about 2 Mt/yr (indicative) India 4% · about 2.3-2.5 Mt/yr (indicative) South Korea / Singapore / Kuwait 7% · about 1.5 Mt/yr each (indicative) indicative; indicative (basis: Argus 2025 EO capacity of 5.7 Mt)Largest producers: global
| Company | Country | Volume | Year | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SABIC largest; not published as single figure | Saudi Arabia | not published | 2025 | SABIC |
| MEGlobal (EQUATE) Kuwait and Canada plants; Asian contract price setter | Kuwait | not published | 2025 | MEGlobal |
| Sinopec Zhenhai No. 2 EG 800 kt/yr (Argus) | China | not published | 2025 | Sinopec |
| Yulong Petrochemical start-up October 2025 | China | 1 Mt/yr new MEG unit | 2025 | Argus Oct 2025 |
| Zhejiang Satellite ethane-based; restart Oct 2025 | China | 0.8 Mt/yr MEG unit | 2025 | Argus Oct 2025 |
| Nan Ya Plastics not published | Taiwan | not published | 2025 | company |
| Shell two US units (125 and 250 kt/yr) in maintenance Oct 2025 | US/Singapore | not published | 2025 | Argus Oct 2025 |
Largest producers: India
| Company | Country | Volume | Year | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Reliance Industries largest; Hazira, Dahej, Jamnagar; about 2 Mt (indicative) | India | not published | 2025 | Reliance annual report |
| Indian Oil Corporation Panipat MEG about 325 kt/yr (indicative) | India | not published | 2025 | IOCL |
| India Glycols bio-MEG from molasses ethanol at Kashipur | India | not published | 2025 | India Glycols |
India has about 2.3-2.5 Mt/yr of MEG capacity, dominated by Reliance (indicative). Demand from polyester is larger, so India imports MEG, mainly from Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and Singapore (indicative). McKinsey noted announced Indian additions of about 2 Mt/yr mainly in EO and EG.
Position by region
| Region | Position |
|---|---|
| US | Ethane-based exporter; spot about 20.60 c/lb (about $454/t) FOB in Oct 2025 (Argus). |
| EU | Net importer; contract €735/t delivered in Oct 2025, spot €475-505/t (Argus). |
| India | Polyester producers (Reliance, Indorama India, Alok, Filatex, Wellknown) depend on imported MEG for part of supply; Gulf disruption in 2026 raised costs. |
| China | About half of world capacity; port inventories and coal-route run rates drive Asian prices. |
| Japan | Small; mostly imports. |
| Middle East | Saudi Arabia and Kuwait are the largest exporters; 2026 Hormuz disruption cut exports (ICIS, Aug 2026). |