Grupa Azoty reduces production in March and April after difficult first quarter in 2023 - Issue 391 || PKN Orlen-petrochemical production Jan-Apr 2023 - Issue 391 || Central European styrene trade Jan-Apr 2023 - Issue 391 || Polish polyethylene production & trade Jan-Apr 2023 - Issue 391 || Polish polypropylene production & trade Jan-Apr 2023 - Issue 391 || Polish synthetic rubber trade, Jan-Apr 2023 - Issue 391 || Central European MDI trade Jan-Apr 2023 - Issue 391 || Central European methanol trade Jan-Apr 2023 - Issue 391 || Russian chemical industry-new terminals required to serve Chinese market - Issue 391 || Russian butadiene production Jan-Apr 2023 - Issue 391 || Russian plastics and polyethylene production Jan-Apr 2023 - Issue 391 || Russian polyethylene trade Jan-Apr 2023 - Issue 391 || PTA deliveries from China to Kaliningrad - Issue 391 || Russian methanol production Jan-Apr 2023 - Issue 391 || Russian methanol exports, Jan-Apr 2023 - Issue 391 || Methanol plant at Volgograd signs agreement with Chinese company - Issue 391 || Russian polyurethane raw materials 2023 - Issue 391 || Uzbek methanol island-Air Products - Issue 391 || Russian Methanol Production, exports and domestic sales 2023 - Issue 392 || Polish petrochemical production Jan-May 2023 - Issue 392 || Olefin 111 project outline - Issue 392 || Polimex Mostostal and Naftoremont-Naftobudowa-Olefin 111 project - Issue 392 || Hungarian propylene exports Jan-Apr 2023 - Issue 392 || Central European styrene trade Jan-May 2023 - Issue 392 || Czech petrochemical trade, Jan-May 2023 - Issue 392 || Polish rubber trade Jan-May 2023 - Issue 392 || Hungarian TDI-MDI exports Jan-Feb 2023 - Issue 392 || Russian propylene exports & sales Jan-May 2023 - Issue 392 || KPI polypropylene outage & exports - Issue 392 || Russian methanol producer operational balances 2023 - Issue 396 || Russian Methanol Exports October 2023 - Issue 396 || Polish Polyol Exports 2022-2023 - Issue 396 || Polish Polyol Imports 2022-2023 - Issue 396 || Central European isocyanate trade Jan-Sep 2023 - Issue 396 || Czech polyol imports Jan-Sep 2023 - Issue 396 || Polish polyol trade Jan-Sep 2023 - Issue 396 || Isocyanate/polyol imports from China into Russia - Issue 396 || Russian Methanol Market Analysis January to June 2024, including production and trade balances - Issue 405 || Polish synthetic rubber production and domestic market Jan-Jun 2024 - Issue 405 || Polish Methanol Trade Statistics - Issue 405 ||
 


CIREC Data Sources

 

Russian Petrochemical Production

 

 

 

 

 


 

 

 


Higher Russian crude deliveries to Central Europe in the first quarter

Central European Refining Volumes

(unit-mil tons)

Company

Holding Company

Jan-Dec 22

Jan-Dec 21

INA

MOL

4.3

2.7

Orlen Lotos

Orlen

6.0

9.9

Lukoil Bourgas

Lukoil

2.5

4.3

Lukoil Ploiesti

Lukoil

2.8

2.2

MOL

MOL

9.9

12.5

NIS

Gazprom Neft

4.4

3.9

Orlen-Lietuva

Orlen

8.1

7.4

Orlen-Plock

Orlen

20.2

12.4

Petrom

OMV

4.6

4.7

Rompetrol

KazMunaiGaz

5.6

5.4

Slovnaft

MOL

2.7

3.5

Orlen Unipetrol

Orlen

7.1

6.4

Total

 

78.2

75.4

Russia's pipeline supply of Urals crude to the EU region via the southern spur of the Druzhba pipeline appears to have risen 6% on a daily basis in the first quarter from the preceding fourth quarter in 2022.  Supply via the Druzhba pipeline remains exempt from sanctions, though flows via its northern spur, which supplies Poland and Germany, dried up last month.

The southern branch of the Druzhba pipeline runs via Ukraine to the Czech Republic, Slovakia and Hungary, and has been the primary source of supply for their refineries for years.

Flows via Druzhba to those three countries are estimated to have amounted to 3.1 million tons in the first quarter from 3.0 million in the quarter October to December.  Alternative oil supply routes to their plants include the Adria pipeline connecting Croatia's Omisalj port to Hungary and the Transalpine pipeline (TAL) that connects Italy's Trieste to Czech refineries.

The main buyer of Urals crude in Slovakia and Hungary is MOL.  Rosneft, Lukoil and Tatneft were the main Russian exporters via the route.   The Czech Republic has a negotiated exemption for oil from the Druzhba pipeline, which is valid until the implementation of an alternative solution is completed.

PKN Orlen-refining margins

The model refining margin of the PKN Orlen Group amounted to $14.8 per barrel in February 2023 versus. $21.9 per barrel in January and $2.7 per barrel in February 2022.    Orlen's main oil import partner now is Saudi Aramco, with whom the company has sealed a supply contract to cover 45% of its overall oil requirements. 

Urals supplies via the northern spur of the Druzhba pipeline were fully suspended in February after Russia halted supplies of oil to PKN Orlen.  Germany voluntarily stopped importing Russian Urals via Druzhba from 1 January 2023, with Germany and Poland hoping to make up for the shortage of Russian crude by importing Kazakh oil via the same pipeline.  Transneft has received requests from Germany and Poland for oil from Kazakhstan via Druzhba in April-June 2023.

Poland purchased 1.020 million tons of crude oil from Saudi Arabia in January this year at €604 per ton, whilst due to the EU price cap imports from Russia amounting to 649,902 tons were priced at €326.7 per ton.  Russia stopped deliveries to Poland in late February but continues to supply other Central European countries.  The additional price cap on petroleum products from 5 February 2023 includes a 55-day wind-down period for seaborne Russian petroleum products purchased above the price cap.  The price caps themselves will be reviewed and adjusted as appropriate in terms of capacity, which could reduce them further. 

Prices advantages of Russian crude into Central Europe

Czech imports of crude oil in January were divided roughly between one third for Azerbaijan and two thirds from Russia.  Imports from Russia actually increased in January over December and the fourth quarter, amounting to 430,574 tons.  The increase was driven by the attractiveness of Russian pricing after the introduction of the price cap by the EU together with the international G7+ Price Cap Coalition.  It meant that Russian prices amounted to €339.1 per ton against €614 per ton for imports from Azerbaijan. 

MOL was buying Russia’s Urals blend at a discount of almost $35 per barrel to Brent in the second quarter, $27 per barrel in the third quarter and $26 per barrel in the fourth quarter.  The Urals discount widened to $30 per barrel in January this year, according to MOL, as the European embargo on Russian oil imports came into force in December.  MOL aims to increase the share of non-Russian oil supplies to its refineries to between 45% and 50% by December this year against 30% and 35% in February and is targeting 100% replacement of Urals after 2025.

Orlen Unipetrol-TAL pipeline

The Czech government has concluded an agreement to increase the capacity of the TAL oil pipeline, giving the Czech Republic an opportunity to cut off Russian supplies in the next two years.   The TAL oil pipeline extends 753 km and runs from the port of Trieste in Italy through the Alps to Austria and Germany.  The pipeline capacity will be increased to 7-8 million tpa which would make the Czech Republic completely independent of supplies via the Druzhba by 2025.  

Of the 6.8 million tons of crude oil imported into the Czech Republic in 2022 more than half of all imports (exactly 51.2%) were delivered via the Ingolstadt-Kralupy-Litvinov (IKL), which is part of the Transalpine oil pipeline.  This is mainly oil transported by tankers to the port of Trieste from Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan and the US.

Slovnaft and Adria pipeline

Slovakia has started to gradually reduce the amount of crude oil coming from Russia, but at higher costs.  Slovnaft in the fourth quarter in 2022 successfully tested alternative raw materials at its refinery in Bratislava from the southern pipelines.  However, shipping through Croatia, specifically the Adriatic system, can be problematic, especially due to the ever-increasing costs.  Furthermore, without investment the Adria pipeline is unable at present to completely replace supplies from the Druzhba in terms of replacing the full consumption of countries. 

Slovnaft estimates that of the total volume of processed oil at the plant this year, approximately 30%, could comprise non-Russian raw materials.  This share should increase after the expiration of the exemption regarding fuel supplies to the Czech Republic in December 2023. 

The Kralupy refinery processes only crude oil from outside Russia, while the Litvinov refinery currently uses some of the non-Russian crude oil for processing.  Orlen Unipetrol has offered the Czech state to participate in the necessary strategic investments worth over Kc 20 billion, especially in refineries in Litvinov and Kralupy nad Vltavou.

Schwedt refinery

The Schwedt PCK refinery is trying to resolve medium-term and long-term feedstock questions after only being 60% utilised in January due to the embargo against Russia.  The German government put Rosneft's ownership of the Schwedt refinery under a trusteeship of the industry regulator in September last year, effectively taking a controlling stake in the refinery.  PCK Schwedt, which is co-owned by Shell and Eni and supplies 90% of Berlin's fuel.   Shell is trying to sell its stake in the refinery.

Deliveries by ship have already been scheduled; whilst the refinery had also received a first quantity of Kazakh crude oil.  Corresponding amounts of oil would come by tanker via Rostock and the Polish port of Gdansk to the plant in Brandenburg.  Deliveries from Rostock, Gdansk and Kazakhstan could increase the throughput at Schwedt to 75-80%, with around 1.2 million tpa from Kazakh sources.

Polish petrochemical production Jan-2023

PKN Orlen Production (unit-kilo tons)

Product

Jan-23

Jan-22

Ethylene

31.1

41.1

Propylene

37.8

42.0

Butadiene

5.7

5.7

Toluene

0.4

1.1

Phenol

4.7

5.0

Polyethylene

25.2

26.6

Polypropylene

24.9

31.5

PVC

22.6

27.0

Ethylene production in Poland dropped from 41,100 tons in January 2022 to 31,100 tons this January whilst propylene fell from 42,000 tons to 37,800 tons.  Butadiene production at Plock was unchanged at 5,700 tons.  In the plastics sector polyethylene production dropped to 25,200 tons in January versus 26,600 tons in corresponding month last year and polypropylene dropped from 31,500 tons to 24,900 tons.

PKN Orlen’s petrochemical margin amounted to €980 per ton in February, down from €1018 in January and €1062 in February 2022.  The peak in the past two years was achieved in May 2021 when petrochemical margins attained €1492 per ton. 

Orlen petrochemical investments

A main feature of the Orlen Group’s strategy up to 2030 is focused on a transformation from oil processing group into becoming a more important producer of petrochemicals in Central Europe.  From Orlen’s updated strategy, announced in the first quarter this year, emphasises that strengthening petrochemicals will increase the Group's resistance to unfavourable trends on the market in traditional hydrocarbon-based fuels. 

The capacity of the current steam cracker at Plock is 640,000 tpa which is intended to rise after investment to 1,040 tpa.  The expansion of production is aimed at meeting some of the deficit in petrochemicals and polymers in the Polish economy.  The company is also analysing the possibility of building a second LDPE plant to add to the 100,000 tpa plant acquired from Basell Orlen Polyolefins at the end of 2022.

Cooperation with Saudi Aramco is being examined at present and could significantly help Orlen Group to strengthen its position in Europe as a petrochemical producer.  Gdansk has been cited as the location for a potential petrochemical project.

Polish propylene & butadiene imports, Jan-2023

Polish Imports of Propylene (unit-kilo tons)

Country

Jan-23

Jan-22

Bulgaria

0.818

0.000

Germany

4.990

5.708

Russia

0.000

4.636

Ukraine

0.000

8.058

Serbia

0.972

0.000

Netherlands

1.412

0.000

Others

0.002

0.981

Total

8.194

19.384

Av price €/ton

997.381

1130.903

Poland imported 8,194 tons of propylene in January against 19,384 tons in January 2022.  Market sources of propylene imports into Poland changed significantly in 2022 due to the economic consequences of the Russian invasion in Ukraine.  Imports from Ukraine dropped from 8,058 tons in January last year versus zero this year due to idle production at Kalush, whilst also imports from Russia have also disappeared from the market due to sanctions.  Average prices for propylene imports into Poland declined from €1130.903 per ton in January 2022 to €997.381 in the January 2023.  Prices started falling in the latter part of the third quarter and into the fourth quarter following feedstock trends.   Butadiene import prices dropped from €955.219 per ton in January 2022 to €925.384 in January this year, with volumes declining from 8,742 tons to 6,759 tons.  

Polish Butadiene Imports (unit-kilo tons)

Country

Jan-23

Jan-22

Austria

3.821

3.158

Germany

0.913

2.502

Hungary

2.026

3.082

Total

6.759

8.742

Av price €/ton

925.384

955.219

 

Hungarian propylene exports Jan-Dec 2022

 

Hungarian Propylene Exports (unit-kilo tons)

Country

Jan-Dec 22

Jan-Dec 21

Germany

4.283

6.830

Poland

3.918

2.030

Romania

0.000

1.996

Slovakia

61.988

95.966

Others

0.000

1.000

Total

70.190

107.823

Exports of propylene from Hungary dropped in 2022 from 107,823 tons to 70,190 tons.  Exports to Slovakia from MOL to Slovnaft dropped from 95,966 tons to 61,988 tons which was due to lower production at Tiszaujvaros.

Hungarian Butadiene Exports (unit-kilo tons)

Country

Jan-Dec 22

Jan-Dec 21

Czech Republic

8.205

9.572

Germany

6.049

24.075

Poland

31.263

41.986

Others

0.001

2.766

Total

45.517

78.399

Av € per ton

1110.568

866.439

     

 

 

 

Although MOL currently produces more propylene than it consumes it is currently building a new propylene plant with a capacity of 100,000 tpa. This is part of the programme to create sufficient propylene feedstock for the new polyol project at Tiszaujvaros.  The propylene plant is being constructed by the engineering company Merkbau on an area of about three hectares at the site of MOL Petrochemicals at Tiszaújváros.  The new plant will fit into the existing production infrastructure, providing raw materials for the polyol plant, thus expanding the company's chemical production capacity.

Hungarian butadiene exports amounted to 45,517 tons in 2022 against 78,399 tons in 2021.  Shipments into Poland totalled 31,263 tons in 2022 against 41,986 tons in 2021.  Exports to Germany dropped from 24,075 tons to 6,049 tons and to the Czech Republic dropped from 9,572 tons to 8,205 tons.  Average prices for Hungarian butadiene exports increased to €1110.6 per ton versus €866.4 in 2021.  The market picture came under pressure in the fourth quarter due to a mixture of weak demand and lower crude prices.  

Central European styrene trade Jan-2023

Polish Styrene Imports (unit-kilo tons)

Country

Jan-23

Jan-22

Belgium

0.000

1.412

Czech Republic

4.995

0.215

Finland

0.214

0.000

Netherlands

0.705

5.889

Germany

0.819

1.076

Others

0.432

0.120

Total

7.165

8.713

Av price

1353.091

1094.300

Poland imported 7,165 tons of styrene in January against 8,713 tons in January last year.  Due to increased production at Kralupy this year imports of styrene from the Czech Republic into Poland increased to 4,995 tons.

Czech Petrochemical Exports (unit-kilo tons)

Product

Jan-23

Jan-22

Ethylene

1.257

1.209

Propylene

0.003

0.003

Butadiene

0.000

0.038

Benzene

0.000

5.122

Toluene

0.728

0.944

Ethylbenzene

10.439

10.423

Styrene

4.995

0.000

Italy is the dominant source of styrene imports into Hungary, supplied by Versalis to its polystyrene plant at Szazhalombatta.  Imports of styrene into Hungary totalled 91,518 tons in January to December 2022, down from 101,541 tons in 2021, with supplies from Italy declining from 96,277 tons to 84,990 tons.

Hungarian styrene imports (unit-kilo tons)

Country

Jan-Dec 22

Jan-Dec 21

Germany

4.234

1.286

Italy

84.990

96.277

Netherlands

2.285

3.816

Others

0.009

0.162

Total

91.518

101.541

Av € per ton

1640.030

1393.431

Czech petrochemical trade, Jan-2023

Ethylene exports from the Czech Republic amounted to 1,257 tons in January versus 1,209 tons last year.  Czech imports of ethylene amounted to 870 tons in January, down from 5,140 tons in January last year. 

Propylene imports into the Czech Republic rose from 2,850 tons in January 2022 to 4,690 tons this year, with main suppliers including Germany, Romania and Poland.  Czech imports of butadiene amounted to 6,800 tons in January 2023, all of which was supplied by Germany and Hungary.

Czech Petrochemical Imports (unit-kilo tons)

Product

Jan-23

Jan-22

Ethylene

0.87

5.14

Propylene

4.69

2.85

Butadiene

6.80

6.82

Benzene

7.36

8.63

Toluene

0.63

0.65

Styrene

0.66

1.04

Czech exports of ethylbenzene amounted to 10,439 tons against 10,423 tons in January 2022.  All the ethylbenzene was shipped from Kralupy to Oswiecim, all within the structures of the Synthos Group.  Imports of benzene into the Czech Republic dropped from 8,630 tons in January last year to 7,360 tons in January 2023. 

Chimcomplex investigating ideas for new complex

Chimcomplex is negotiating with several technology providers for the construction of a either a steam-cracker or new refinery in Romania involving an investment of around €3 billion.  Other ideas for investment include talks for a green pyrolysis plant, and it is possible that Chimcomplex could re-profile to convert the whole of the Oltchim platform at Ramnicu Valcea to produce green products.  In essence Chimcomplex aims to take advantage of the closure of a number of chemical plants in the EU.   Romania has four pyrolysis units, all of which have been closed for more than twenty years and technologically obsolete. 

One economic advantage from any proposed investment plan involves tackling the Romanian trade deficit which currently stands around €2 billion per annum.  Chimcomplex and Rompetrol have also been jointly considering the prospects for a large-scale investment. 

 

 

Polish polyethylene trade Jan-2023

 

Polish PE imports (unit-kilo tons)

Country

Jan-23

Jan-22

LDPE

24.350

27.220

LLDPE

16.380

21.113

HDPE

31.167

34.521

EVA

0.992

1.919

EAC

13.069

16.232

Others

4.682

3.729

Total

90.640

104.734

Av €/ton

1503.608

1730.918

Polish imports of polyethylene totalled 90,640 tons in January this year against 104,734 tons in January 2022, with average prices falling from €1730.9 per ton to €1503.6. Imports of polyolefins and all types of plastics from Russia into Poland saw a progressive decline in 2022, with other suppliers from Europe and the Middle East taking more market share.   

Total costs of polyethylene imports into Poland amounted to €136.287 million in January against €181.286 in January last year.  HDPE is the largest category of imported polyethylene into Poland, amounting to 31,167 tons in January versus 34,521 tons in January 2022.

Polish polyethylene exports amounted to 23,824 tons in the first month in 2023 against 28,394 tons in January 2022. Average prices for polyethylene exports from Poland declined to €1463.8 per ton against €1553.3.  Revenues from exports decreased from €42.873 million to €34.873 million in January 2023.  In January this year exports of HDPE from Poland amounted to 17,054 tons versus 19,434 tons in January 2022.

Price trends for polyethylene and plastics started to see declines in the fourth quarter in line with lower feedstock costs.  Although crude numbers are not expected to return to mid-2022 peaks this year, demand and recessionary factors are slowing down volume purchases.

Polish polpropylene trade Jan-2023

Polish PP Exports (unit-kilo tons)

Category

Jan-23

Jan-22

PP homo

13.441

18.069

Polyisobutylene

0.063

0.023

Propylene copolymers

7.326

8.353

Other

0.319

0.363

Total

21.148

26.808

Av €/ton

1531.944

1661.370

Polish PP Imports (unit-kilo tons)

Category

Jan-23

Jan-22

PP homo

37.542

55.885

Polyisobutylene

0.148

0.510

Propylene copolymers

22.245

27.027

Other

1.058

1.708

Total

60.993

85.130

Av €/ton

1578.247

1736.203

Polish polypropylene imports, including homo grade and copolymers, fell in January to a total of 60,993 tons versus 85,130 tons in January 2022.  Average prices per ton decreased from €1736.2 to €1578.2 per ton, after the gap between the upper and lower range narrowed in the fourth quarter.  Homo grade polypropylene imports dropped from 55,885 tons in January 2022 to 37,542 tons this January whilst copolymer imports dropped from 27,027 tons to 22,945 tons.  Regarding export activity, shipments amounted to 21,148 tons against 26,808 tons in January 2022.

In addition to the dependency on propylene monomer imports, Poland has in recent years been increasing its imports of polypropylene and propylene copolymers.  Imports of polypropylene from Russia were one of the main sources in 2021, amounting to 155,805 tons from a total of 727,232 tons.  In value terms this amounted to €198.656 million from a total value of €1100.731 million.  Last year the position has changed due to the economic impact resulting from Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. 

Czech polyethylene trade Jan-2023

Czech polyethylene exports (unit-kilo tons)

Product

Jan-23

Jan-22

LDPE

1.978

1.946

LLDPE

0.329

0.300

HDPE

25.987

27.446

EVA

0.402

0.277

Other

0.725

0.740

Total

29.422

30.709

Av price €

1432.65

1543.61

Czech polyethylene imports (unit-kilo tons)

Product

Jan-23

Jan-22

LDPE

7.713

9.392

LLDPE

1.369

1.464

HDPE

9.623

9.526

EVA

0.696

0.502

Other

3.301

1.838

Total

22.703

22.722

Av price €

1807.370

1977.480

Czech polypropylene exports (unit-kilo tons)

Product

Jan-23

Jan-22

PP Homo

21.875

21.146

Propylene Copolymers

4.174

3.944

Other

0.353

0.053

Total

26.402

25.143

Av price €

1530.660

1675.890

Czech polypropylene imports (unit-kilo tons)

Product

Jan-23

Jan-22

PP Homo

23.162

24.575

Propylene Copolymers

15.975

16.328

Other

1.354

1.485

Total

40.491

42.389

Av price €

1693.690

1842.340

Prices for both exports and imports of polyolefins were lower in January this year against January 2022.  Polyethylene exports amounted to 29,422 tons in January this year of which HDPE comprised 25,987 tons.  Germany was the largest destination for Czech HDPE supplied from Litvinov, amounting to 11,843 tons in January for €14.645 million.  Other important markets include Poland, Italy and Belgium. 

For imports of all forms of polyethylene, Czech inward shipments amounted to 22,703 tons in January against 22,722 tons in January 2022, with prices dropping from €1977.5 per ton to €1807.4. 

Germany was the largest source of polyethylene imports, amounting to 5,378 tons for €9.081 million, followed by Belgium with 3,218 tons for €6.346 million.

For imports of all forms of polypropylene, Czech inward shipments dropped from 42,389 tons in January 2022 to 40,491 tons in January this year, with prices dropping from €1842.3 per ton €1693.7. 

Propylene copolymer imports dropped from 16,328 tons to 15,975 tons, with costs dropping from €31.612 million to €28.263 million.   Copolymer imports were sourced not only from European suppliers but also South Korea which shipped 3,512 tons for €5.124 million in January this year. 

Exports of all forms of polypropylene from the Czech Republic amounted to 26,402 tons in January versus 25,143 tons in January 2022, with prices dropping from €1675.9 per ton from

Hungarian Polypropylene Imports

(unit-kilo tons)

Product

Jan-Dec 22

Jan-Dec 21

PP homo

124.790

121.804

Propylene copolymers

56.461

69.026

Others

31.198

26.014

Total

212.448

216.844

€1530.7.  Homo-grade PP comprises the main category of Czech polypropylene exports, amounting to 21,875 tons in January this year, with 5,319 tons sent to Germany for €7.4 million.  

Hungarian polymer trade Jan-Dec 2022

Hungarian Polypropylene Imports

(€ million)

Product

Jan-Dec 22

Jan-Dec 21

PP homo

220.474

187.759

Propylene copolymers

103.921

111.597

Others

74.660

47.041

Total

399.054

346.397

MOL’s polyolefin sales declined in the fourth quarter last year due to lower production, totalling 236,000 tons against the same quarter in 2021.  This was the lowest fourth quarterly figure since 2019 when only 207,000 tons was sold in the period October to December.  Overall ,for last year Hungarian polyolefin trade in terms of volume differed only slightly by volume against 2021, but in terms of values the prices were much higher in 2022

Hungarian Polypropylene Exports (unit-kilo tons)

Product

Jan-Dec 22

Jan-Dec 21

PP homo

121.977

111.454

Propylene copolymers

93.630

118.526

Others

15.763

10.143

Total

231.371

240.123

     

Hungarian Polypropylene Exports (€ million)

Product

Jan-Dec 22

Jan-Dec 21

PP homo

199.513

181.214

Propylene copolymers

166.023

199.185

Others

19.070

8.294

Total

384.606

388.692

For polypropylene imports into Hungary amounted to 212,448 tons in 2022 versus 216,844 tons in 2021, with values rising in 2022 to €399.054 million from €346.397 million.    

Imports comprised 124,790 tons of homo grade polypropylene in January to December 2022 against 121,804 tons in 2021 and 56,461 tons of copolymers against 69,026 tons. 

For propylene copolymer sources into Hungary, Austria, Germany and the Netherlands were the largest sources of imports.  Costs for copolymer imports dropped slightly in 2022 to €103.921 million against €111.597 million in 2021.

Hungarian Polyethylene Exports

(unit-kilo tons)

Product

Jan-Dec 22

Jan-Dec 21

LLDPE

5.220

5.345

LDPE

85.083

108.699

HDPE

226.303

289.393

EAO

0.327

0.123

EVA

0.115

0.292

Other

20.071

10.710

Total

337.119

414.562

Regarding exports MOL shipped 121,977 tons of homo grade polypropylene in the period January to December 2022 from 111,454 tons in the same period in 2021, whilst copolymer exports dropped from 111,597 tons to 103,921 tons.  

Export revenues dropped for all grades of polypropylene slightly from €388.692 million to €384.606 million, although average prices increased from €1618.721 per ton to €1662.294 in 2022. 

Hungarian Polyethylene Exports

(€ million)

Product

Jan-Dec 22

Jan-Dec 21

LLDPE

5.605

4.457

LDPE

137.938

168.690

HDPE

356.771

405.156

EAO

0.927

0.409

EVA

0.362

2.949

Other

23.954

14.001

Total

525.558

595.662

Copolymer exports are distributed mostly to European destinations, of which the largest include Italy, Germany and Romania.  Hungary exported a total of 40,039 tons of polypropylene in 2022 for revenues of €63.786 million. 

Regarding export activity due to lower production by MOL at Tiszaujvaros last year, HDPE shipments from Hungary dropped from 289,393 tons in January to December 2021 to 226,303 tons in the same twelve months in 2022 whilst exports of LDPE dropped from 108,699 tons to 85,083 tons.    From HDPE exports, shipments to Italy totalled 57,786 tons in January to December 2022 for €89.972 million and to Germany 38,366 tons for €65.111 million.   

Hungarian Polyethylene Imports (unit-kilo tons)

Product

Jan-Dec 22

Jan-Dec 21

LLDPE

23.547

19.753

LDPE

55.691

57.167

HDPE

99.715

102.487

EAO

11.140

13.774

EVA

5.962

5.317

Other

22.733

20.791

Total

218.789

219.289

In total polyethylene exports dropped from 414,562 tons to 337,119 tons whilst revenues fell from €595.662 tons in 2021 to €525.558 tons in 2022.  Average prices jumped from €1436.847 per ton in 2021 to €1558.965 per ton in 2022.

Polyethylene imports into Hungary amounted to 218,789 tons in 2022 against 219,289 tons in 2021.  HDPE imports dropped from 102,487 tons to 99,715 tons in January to December 2022, whilst LLDPE imports decreased from 57,167 tons to 55,691 tons.  Imports of LDPE rose from 19,753 tons to 23,547 tons.  Imports costs for polyethylene increased in 2022 to €406.958 million against €344.331 million in 2021.  Prices per ton increased from €1570.216 in 2021 to €1860.235 in 2022.

Hungarian

Polyethylene Imports (€ million)

Product

Jan-Dec 22

Jan-Dec 21

LLDPE

43.329

35.096

LDPE

108.790

96.568

HDPE

173.239

147.742

EAO

22.283

22.369

EVA

17.103

11.578

Other

42.213

30.978

Total

406.958

344.331

Rompetrol Rafinare-petrochemicals division Jan-Dec 2022

Rompetrol Rafinare’s petrochemical segment increased its gross turnover to $202 million in 2022 compared to $186 million in 2021. The petrochemical division processed 170,000 tons of raw materials in 2022, increasing by about 15% compared to 2021.

Rompetrol Rafinare’s total polymer production amounted to 129,000 tons in 2022, up 21% from 2021.  In terms of polyethylene production, the company’s petrochemicals segment works 100% with of imported ethylene, and the PP unit is supplied with feedstock entirely by the Petromidia refinery.