Advances in Propylene Production Routes

This paper discusses recent advances in the propylene production with emphasis on the following major commercial routes: ethylene steam cracker plants, refinery fluid catalytic cracking, olefin metathesis, propane dehydrogenation and methanol. About 68% of world propylene is produced as co-product to ethylene by the steam cracking of hydrocarbons and about 29% is produced as co-product to gasoline in the fluid catalytic cracking (FCC) of gas oils. The remaining 3% is produced via olefin metathesis and propane dehydrogenation. Other emerging technologies include catalytic cracking of higher hydrocarbons and methanol conversion.