After reaching a historical low in Q2 this year – see Plasteurope.com of 22.08.2012 – ethylene and propylene production in western Europe (among the EU 15 and Norway) continued to bob along in the period from July to September, and remained below the levels of the past eight years. The latest official figures of the Association of Petrochemicals Producers in Europe (Appe, Brussels / Belgium; www.petrochemistry.net) show that while – at 4.84m t – ethylene (C2) output slightly exceeded that of Q3 2009 (4.82m t), the figure is the second-lowest seen for the quarter since 2005. European producers turned out 3.63m t of propylene (C3) in Q3 – another negative record of the last eight years. Even during the disastrous crisis year of 2009, C3 output in the third quarter had been 120,000 t higher. It is becoming increasingly evident that 2012 will enter the annals of history as one of the weakest production years of the European cracker industry.

At the same time, ethylene and propylene prices rose by about 25% in August and September, after previously having crashed to their lowest 2012 level in July. Polyolefin prices followed this trend.