Commodity Production Costs Report
Vinyl Chloride Production from Ethane and Chlorine
Vinyl Chloride Operating Costs & Plant Construction Costs
This study reviews the costs associated with Vinyl Chloride production directly from ethane and chlorine. The process examined is an early stage process similar to that developed by European Vinyls Corporation, now owned by INEOS. The process is a direct ethane to vinyl chloride monomer route. The economic assessment assumes an industrial plant in the United States.
The report provides a comprehensive study of Vinyl Chloride production and related Vinyl Chloride production cost, covering three key aspects: a complete description of the Vinyl Chloride production process examined; an in-depth analysis of the related Vinyl Chloride plant capital cost (Capex); and an evaluation of the respective Vinyl Chloride plant operating costs (Opex).
The Vinyl Chloride production process description includes a block flow diagram (BFD), an overview of the industrial site installations, detailing both the process unit and the necessary infrastructure, process consumption figures and comprehensive process flow diagrams (PFD). The Vinyl Chloride plant capital cost analysis breaks down the Capex by plant cost (i.e., ISBL, OSBL and Contingency); owner's cost; working capital; and costs incurred during industrial plant commissioning and start-up. The Vinyl Chloride plant operating costs analysis covers operating expenses, including variable costs like raw materials and utilities, and fixed costs such as maintenance, labor, and depreciation.
Key reference(s): ?
Product
Vinyl Chloride. Vinyl chloride, or vinyl chloride monomer (VCM), is a major chemical commodity, with worldwide importance related to its industrial use as the precursor to PVC. VCM is also used in a wide variety of copolymers. Inherent flame-retardant properties, wide range of plasticized compounds, and low cost of polymers produced from vinyl chloride have made it in fact a major industrial chemical, manufactured in about fifty countries. First commercially produced by catalytic hydrochlorination of acetylene, vinyl chloride nowadays is largely produced through ethylene-based, balanced vinyl chloride process. VCM production routes development have been tightly connected to the availability of key raw materials, particularly ethylene and chlorine, along with concerns related to energy efficiency, environmental impact, safety, and process reliability. Most of the existing VCM plants are actually integrated to EDC plants, where direct chlorination and oxychlorination processes are employed in parallel for EDC production.
Raw Materials
Ethane. Ethane is a colorless, odorless gas with the chemical formula C2H6. The main commercial sources of ethane are wet natural gases and refinery waste gases. Ethane is the second largest component of natural gas, only after methane. In natural gas from shale (or shale gas), the ethane content can reach up to 16% by volume. On industrial scale, it is separated from methane by liquefaction at cryogenic temperatures. The main use of ethane is as petrochemical feedstock for Ethylene manufacturing. In some cases, ethane is not separated from natural gas and it is burnt along with methane as fuel.
Chlorine. Chlorine figures among the most important chemical commodities. It is an indispensable intermediate in the chemical industry, employed in the manufacture of a multitude of end products (e.g. materials of construction, solvents, pesticides, etc). Most of chlorine produced on commercial scale is based on electrolysis of aqueous sodium chloride (brine), which also generates caustic soda and hydrogen as co-products (chlor-alkali processes).
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Professional report based on Q3 2024 economic data, ensuring timely evaluations.
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Content Highlights
Plant Capital Cost Summary
Summary outlining the capital cost required for building the Vinyl Chloride production plant examined.
Plant Capital Cost Details
Detailing of fixed capital (ISBL, OSBL & Owner’s Cost), working capital and additional capital requirements.
Plant Cost Breakdowns
Breakdown of Vinyl Chloride process unit (ISBL) costs and infrastructure (OSBL) costs; plant cost breakdown per discipline.
Operating Costs Summary
Summary presenting the operating variable costs and the total operating cost of the Vinyl Chloride production plant studied.
Operating Cost Details
Detailing of utilities costs, operating fixed costs and depreciation.
Plant Capacity Assessment
Comparative analysis of capital investment and operating costs for different Vinyl Chloride plant capacities.
Production Process Information
Block Flow Diagram, descriptions of process unit (ISBL) and site infrastructure (OSBL).
Process Consumptions
Raw materials and utilities consumption figures, by-products credits, labor requirements
Process Diagrams
Process flow diagrams (PFD), equipment list and industrial site configuration
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Other Vinyl Chloride Production Cost Reports
Vinyl Chloride Production from Acetylene
This feasibility study reviews a typical hydrochlorination process for Vinyl Chloride production from acetylene. In this process, anhydrous hydrogen chloride is reacted in vapor phase with acetylene over a mercuric chloride catalyst producing Vinyl Chloride. The economic analysis presented is based on the construction of an industrial plant in the United States.
Details: 280 kta United States-based plant | Q3 2024 | 107 pages | Issue C | From $799 USD
Vinyl Chloride from Ethylene and Chlorine (Balanced Process)
This study presents the economics of Vinyl Chloride (VCM) production from ethylene and chlorine in the United States. Initially, ethylene is chlorinated to produce ethylene dichloride (EDC). Then, EDC is thermally cracked yielding VCM and HCl. The HCl produced and ethylene are reacted with oxygen, yielding more EDC. This leads to a so called “balanced process”.
Details: 500 kta United States-based plant | Q3 2024 | 107 pages | Issue D | From $1,499 USD
Vinyl Chloride Production from Ethylene and EDC
This report presents the production cost of Vinyl Chloride from ethylene and ethylene dichloride (EDC) in the United States. The process examined combines two process. First, Vinyl Chloride is produced via thermal cracking of EDC, which generates hydrogen chloride (HCl). It is then used as raw material with ethylene in the EDC production via oxychlorination.
Details: 500 kta United States-based plant | Q3 2024 | 107 pages | Issue E | From $1,199 USD
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Other Related Production Cost Reports
Polyvinyl Chloride Production from VCM (Bulk Polymerization)
This study presents the economics of Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC) production from vinyl chloride monomer (VCM) in the United States. The process examined is a typical bulk polymerization process.
Details: 100 kta United States-based plant | Q3 2024 | 107 pages | Issue B | From $799 USD
Chlorine Production from Sodium Chloride (Diaphragm Process)
This study presents the economics of Chlorine production from sodium chloride via a diaphragm plant located in the United States. In the process under analysis, an aqueous solution of sodium chloride (brine) is decomposed electrolytically in a diaphragm cell, producing Chlorine, sodium hydroxide and hydrogen.
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Polyvinyl Chloride Production from VCM (Suspension Polymerization)
This report presents the economics of Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC) production from vinyl chloride monomer (VCM) in the United States, via a typical suspension polymerization process. In this process, VCM droplets dispersed in water are polymerized to PVC.
Details: 400 kta United States-based plant | Q3 2024 | 107 pages | Issue A | From $799 USD
Chlorine Production from Sodium Chloride (Membrane Process)
This study presents the economics of Chlorine production from sodium chloride via a membrane process plant located in the United States. In the process under analysis, an aqueous solution of sodium chloride (brine) is decomposed electrolytically in a membrane cell, producing Chlorine, sodium hydroxide and hydrogen.
Details: 500 kta United States-based plant | Q3 2024 | 107 pages | Issue A | From $799 USD
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