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(Bloomberg) -- Asian refineries are grappling with what's expected to be a brief period of weak profits as a demand-sapping Covid-19 comeback across the region coincides with a likely surge in oil-product exports from Iran. Oil consultant FGE sees India's gasoline consumption as the "biggest stumbling block to Asia's demand recovery", with an estimated 20% fall in April through June versus the previous quarter. [Extracted from the article]

The article reports on the benefit of fewer capacity-addition plans in 2002 for Asia oil refining margins. Refining capacity reportedly increased to nearly 35% and most of these additions were in China, India, and Taiwan. Indications of any recovery in refining margins are cited, including improved demand growth in the short to medium term. Information on Asia refining margins based on cracking yield in the fourth quarter of 2002 is also provided.

The article informs that wave of petrochemical capacity expansions in Asia will be led by naphtha cracking in China, and also mentions India has increased petrochemical capacity and a surging economy. It mentions Chinese coal-to-olefins (CTO) projects is slowing down, with less downstream polyethylene (PE) capacity. It also mentions building and upgrading refineries, while constructing naphtha crackers.

The article presents speculations on the butadiene (BD) market in Europe and Asia. Topics include the lack of specific figures regarding contractual terms between European consumers and BD producers, the possibility that supply could increase in the 4th quarter of 2015 due to more naphtha cracking operations, and the soft demand terms for butadiene from Asia, the key importer of European butadiene, suggesting the possibility of big discounts in contract prices.

The article discusses the chemical propylene, which is primarily used to produce polypropylene (PP). Topics include the impact on the supply and demand of propylene as a result of reduced naphtha cracker rates across Asia, global propylene prices, and the three grades of propylene, which includes polymer grade, chemical grade, and refinery grade.

Presents an update on projects in the chemical industry in Asia as of September 2005. Plan of Filatex India to produce polyester chips for its partially oriented yarn plant; Decision to be made by the government of Thailand on the location of a cracker complex; Postponement of the completion of Pertamina's propylene expansion project.

Highlights the interest of several Asian and Middle Eastern cracker players in using metasthesis technology to boost their propylene output to meet the increased demand for the product. Cost of the technology project at Mitsui Chemicals; Contractor appointed to license ABB Lummus' technology in Asia.