# Monoethylene glycol: Production route

Ethylene oxide, catalytic tricks, and China's coal shortcut

Source page: https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/meg/routes/

Ethylene oxide, catalytic tricks, and China's coal shortcut What this tab covers How it is made: the main production routes or, for product families, the main product types and technologies, compared on share of supply, inputs per tonne, plant scale, yield, co-products and unit cost.

Most MEG is made by hydrating ethylene oxide, which also gives DEG and TEG. Catalytic routes via ethylene carbonate (Shell OMEGA, Dow Meteor) raise MEG selectivity. China has built a large coal-to-MEG industry using syngas to dimethyl oxalate and hydrogenation. Bio-MEG from sugarcane or molasses ethanol via bio-ethylene is made in India and Taiwan, and sugar-to-MEG (hydrogenolysis) is at demonstration stage.

#### Routes compared

| Route | Share of supply | Inputs per tonne | Typical scale | Yield | Co-products | Unit cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| **EO thermal hydration** | about 60-65% of global capacity (indicative) | about 0.75 t EO and 0.6 t ethylene per t MEG (indicative) | 300-900 kt/yr MEG per train | about 90% MEG, 9% DEG, 1% TEG (indicative) | DEG about 0.1 t and TEG about 0.01 t per t MEG | cash cost about $400-500/t on Gulf ethane, higher on naphtha (indicative) |
| **Catalytic EO to MEG via ethylene carbonate (OMEGA, Meteor)** | about 10-15% (indicative) | about 0.72 t EO per t MEG (indicative) | 400-750 kt/yr | MEG selectivity above 99% | almost no DEG | lower steam use than thermal route (indicative) |
| **Coal or syngas to MEG (oxalate route)** | about 20-25% of global capacity, all in China (indicative) | about 2.5-3 t coal per t MEG (indicative) | 200-600 kt/yr; Meijin 300 kt, Jianyuan 260 kt (Argus 2025) | not published | methanol, ethanol, CO2 from gasification | competitive at low coal prices; many units idle when MEG is below about $500/t (indicative) |
| **Bio-MEG via bio-ethanol** | under 1% (indicative) | about 1.0-1.1 t ethanol per t MEG (indicative) | 100-200 kt/yr (India Glycols Kashipur; Greencol Taiwan) | similar to fossil EO route | DEG | premium to fossil MEG depends on ethanol price (not published) |

#### How each route works
**EO thermal hydration**

EO is mixed with a large excess of water (about 20:1 molar) and reacted at 190-200°C. Water is evaporated off in multi-effect evaporators and glycols separated by distillation.

Mature and large-scale; energy-intensive evaporation.
 indicative (industry standard) **Catalytic EO to MEG via ethylene carbonate (OMEGA, Meteor)**

EO reacts with CO2 to ethylene carbonate, which is hydrolysed to MEG and CO2, using less water and steam.

Efficient but loses DEG revenue.
 indicative **Coal or syngas to MEG (oxalate route)**

Coal is gasified to CO and hydrogen. CO is coupled with methyl nitrite to dimethyl oxalate, then hydrogenated to MEG. Quality has improved but is sometimes discounted for polyester.

Uses Chinese coal; CO2 intensity several times the ethylene route.
 Argus Oct 2025; indicative **Bio-MEG via bio-ethanol**

Sugarcane or molasses ethanol is dehydrated to ethylene, oxidised to EO and hydrated to MEG. Used in bio-PET bottles.

Lower fossil carbon; competes for ethanol.
 indicative; India Glycols Unit economics are indicative ranges from the sources named; costs move with feedstock and energy prices, plant size and region.

## Other sections

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