Orlen may drop cracker plan

The Polish refiner and chemical maker Orlen is considering scrapping or scaling back its ethylene cracker project in Plock, Poland. The company unveiled the initiative in 2021, saying it planned to build 740,000 metric tons of ethylene capacity, as well as derivatives such as ethylene oxide. However, Orlen now projects that the current scope and scale of the project is unprofitable. It would cost as much as $12 billion to build and would be completed no sooner than 2030.