Industry expertise · Oil & Gas
Petrochemicals
From crackers and polyolefin units to downstream derivatives, we help petrochemical producers defend margin, manage cost, and build the operating discipline the cycle demands.
The challenge
Petrochemical producers are operating through the widest gap in a generation between capacity and demand. Record additions of ethylene, propylene, and polyolefin capacity — led by China — have pushed global utilization and margins down while returns on capital employed have fallen to roughly half of their 2019 level. High and volatile feedstock and energy costs, trade and geopolitical risk, and restructuring programs are forcing hard choices about which assets, products, and customers earn their keep.
At the same time, the industry cannot stand still. Decarbonization targets, stricter plastics regulation, and customers demanding recycled and lower-carbon materials are reshaping what the next decade of demand looks like, while the economics of chemical recycling and circular business models remain unproven at scale. Digitalization and process efficiency offer real gains, but they must be funded while margins are depressed — and executed inside plants that cannot afford downtime or distraction.
Recent engagement profiles
- Led a site cost and operations diagnostics program for a polyolefin producer, prioritizing low-cost feedstock allocation and unit utilization to protect margin through the trough.
- Designed a product-mix and commercial strategy for a commodity chemicals producer, shifting portfolio weight toward differentiated specialty and performance grades.
- Implemented an integrated planning and scheduling improvement program for a cracker complex, tightening feedstock procurement, unit scheduling, and energy use.
- Evaluating maintenance and turnaround strategy for a Gulf Coast chemicals site, moving from calendar-based to risk-based programs to improve unit availability.
- Supported portfolio review and restructuring for a producer with high-cost legacy assets, informing a keep/fix/close decision framework.
- Assessed circular-economy investments for a chemicals group, building the operating and commercial model for mechanical and chemical recycling ventures.
Functional experience
We have helped our clients with innovative solutions in the following functional areas:
Operations and Manufacturing Excellence
- Cracker, polyolefin, and derivatives unit performance and utilization improvement
- Integrated planning and scheduling across feedstock, units, and logistics
- Energy management, steam/power optimization, and flare reduction
- Risk-based maintenance and turnaround strategy, scope, and execution
Commercial, Pricing, and Product Strategy
- Margin management: product mix, grade rationalization, and customer profitability
- Feedstock strategy and procurement across naphtha, ethane, and alternative feeds
- Commercial excellence in derivative sales: pricing discipline and export-market strategy
- Growth into specialty, performance, and lower-carbon product lines
Cost and Capital Structure
- Site-level cost diagnostics, benchmarking, and fixed-cost restructuring
- Working capital and inventory optimization for bulk chemicals
- Capital project screening, prioritization, and brownfield execution support
- Cash and return on capital employed (ROCE) improvement planning
Supply Chain and Logistics
- Rail, barge, pipeline, and marine logistics planning for bulk movements
- Distribution network design and terminal strategy
- S&OP process connecting demand signal to plant schedules
HSE, Regulatory, and Sustainability
- Process safety management and mechanical integrity programs
- Emissions reporting, decarbonization roadmaps, and energy-transition compliance
- Plastics regulation readiness and recycled-content standards interpretation
- Environmental permitting and documentation management systems
Digital, Data, and Workforce
- Advanced process control and real-time plant data aggregation
- AI-supported quality prediction, yield optimization, and predictive maintenance
- Digital workforce tools for plant operations and shift handover
- Change management and capability building for operators and engineers