"PROPYLENE PRODUCTION TECHNOLOGY COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS: ECONOMIC AND ENVIRONMENTAL ASPECTS "

With the growing global demand for polymers, especially polypropylene, propylene production technology is becoming of key importance for the petrochemical industry. Propylene is the second most important monomer after ethylene and is used in the production of a wide range of products, from packaging materials to automotive components and textile fibres. Given the trends of decarbonisation, circular economy development and tightening of environmental standards (in particular, within the framework of EU initiatives – CBAM, ESG, etc.), the choice of technology with an optimal combination of economic efficiency and environmental safety becomes critical. In this paper, a comprehensive comparative analysis of four industrial processes for propylene production: steam cracking, catalytic cracking (FCC), propane dehydrogenation (PDH) and methanol-to-propylene (MTP) technology is carried out. Such parameters as feedstock type, product yield, capital and operating costs, carbon footprint, technological maturity and prospects for implementation in Kazakhstan are considered. Special attention is paid to resource availability (naphtha, propane, coal) and current industrial projects in the country. Based on the analysis, conclusions are drawn on the short-term and long-term feasibility of introducing certain technologies. Keywords: Propylene, Polypropylene, Carbon footprint, Petrochemistry, Circular economy, Sustainable development, Process efficiency