The downsizing of Europe’s petrochemical sector continues where the energy firm Eni plans to shutter two ethylene crackers—in Brindisi and Priolo Gargallo—as part of an overhaul of its struggling Versalis chemical business the Italian firm joins a growing list of companies closing European olefin and polyolefin facilities that are older and have higher operating costs than newer facilities built in the US ExxonMobil and Sabic both announced similar closures earlier this year LyondellBasell Industries is reviewing its European fleet “This is a necessary response to the structural disadvantage European basic chemicals manufacturing faces versus other regions,” Francesco Gattei Eni’s chief transition and financial officer The business has lost $3.2 billion over the past 5 years and $7.6 billion over the past 15 ACS’s Basic Package keeps you connected with C&EN and ACS $80 Regular Members & Society Affiliates ACS’s Standard Package lets you stay up to date with C&EN ACS’s Premium Package gives you full access to C&EN and everything the ACS Community has to offer ExxonMobil and Sabic both announced similar closures earlier this year LyondellBasell Industries is reviewing its European fleet “This is a necessary response to the structural disadvantage European basic chemicals manufacturing faces versus other regions,” Francesco Gattei, Eni’s chief transition and financial officer, said in an earnings call The site in Brindisi, on Italy’s Adriatic coast, was established in the 1960s to make olefins and chlor-alkali. The cracker in Priolo Gargallo, in Sicily, is on a site that has been making chemicals since the 1950s According to the industry group Petrochemicals Europe the Brindisi cracker has 440,000 metric tons (t) per year of ethylene capacity; Priolo has 530,000 t Eni will close a polyethylene plant in Ragusa and plans to sell some or all of its ethylene cracker in Dunkerque The firm had announced plans to convert the Dunkerque cracker from naphtha feedstock to lower-cost ethane imported from the US but didn’t follow through vice president of global olefins and derivatives at Chemical Market Analytics by OPIS says he is not surprised by Eni’s announcement as the company has been telegraphing a shift in focus to specialty materials with the recent announcements of plant closures some 2.5 million t of ethylene capacity is likely to close in Europe This would amount to roughly 10% of the continent’s total compared with Petrochemicals Europe’s figures If Ineos builds a 1.5 million t cracker in Belgium as planned Sign up for C&EN's must-read weekly newsletter This article has been sent to the following recipient: Copyright © 2025 American Chemical Society Please enable JS and disable any ad blocker Essential digital access to quality FT journalism on any device Complete digital access to quality FT journalism with expert analysis from industry leaders Complete digital access to quality analysis and expert insights complemented with our award-winning Weekend Print edition Terms & Conditions apply Discover all the plans currently available in your country See why over a million readers pay to read the Financial Times See why over a million readers pay to read the Financial Times.