Ukraine increased polyethylene and PET imports

MOSCOW (MRC) -- In January, the total imports of bulk polymers made about 50,000 tonnes. Last month the external supplies of polyethylene and PET granulate increased, while imports of PVC and polystyrene fell under the pressure of seasonal factors, according to MRC DataScope. In January, the total volume of imports of bulk polymers (polyethylene, polypropylene, polyvinylchloride, polystyrene and PET) to the Ukrainian market grew to 50,000 tonnes. The same figure was 5% lower year on year and made 47,400 tonnes.


The imports of PET granulate increased most significantly last month. Deliveries of polymers increased by 154% compared to December 2011 and made little more than 6,000 tonnes.
Imports of polyethylene also showed a positive trend. Imports grew by 8% compared to December and made more than 27,700 tonnes. In January, supplies of LDPE grew to 11,750 tonnes. External supplies of PE did not change and stayed at the level of December - 10,600 tonnes.


In January, imports of polypropylene decreased by 3% and made 6,600 tonnes. The decline in imports was seen in all grades of polypropylene and resulted from seasonal factors.

Imports of PVC decreased by 38%, largely due to a serious reduction in supplies of suspension. Seasonal factors and a more competitive offer from local producer Karpatneftekhim led to reduced imports of suspension PVC to a record level over the last three years - 3,800 tonnes.

Last month, external supplies of polystyrene and styrene plastics to Ukraine made about 2,930 tonnes, 25% up compared with December 2011. The main reduction in imports fell at expandable polystyrene, due to seasonal factors. The imports of EPS decreased almost twice to 700 tonnes. As for other types of polystyrene and styrene plastics, the decline in imports was not so significant.

MRC

(plastemart) -- Saudi Aramco Asia Company Limited (SAAC), a subsidiary of Saudi Aramco, and PT Pertamina (Persero) signed a Memorandum of Understanding to jointly evaluate the economic feasibility of building an integrated refining and petrochemical project in Tuban in East Java, in the Republic of Indonesia.

A project team will work on the next phase of the project, which will consist of a joint scoping study that will include market research, configuration studies and economic analysis. The proposed refinery and petrochemicals project will be designed to process 300,000 bpd of crude oil, much of which will be supplied by Saudi Aramco following a long-term contract.

The project will produce high-quality refined petroleum and petrochemicals products to meet rising demand in Indonesia and elsewhere in Southeast Asia. The project represents an opportunity for Saudi Aramco to partner with Pertamina, Indonesia's state oil and gas company, and to capitalize on investment opportunities in Indonesia's growing downstream industry. Additionally, it extends the close cooperation between Saudi Aramco and Pertamina and increases prospects for industrialization and economic diversification in Indonesia.

MRC

(chemmonitor) -- The Luasanne-headquartered (Switzerland) company INEOS announced about the accident at No.4 cracker at Cologne site (Germany).

The cracker was shut last week on the back of a leakage on the superheater. The unpredicted shutdown is expected to last three weeks.

The company operates two crackers at Cologne site. The overall nameplate output reaches 655,000 tonnes per year. One of the crackers produce 450,000 tonnes per annum, the other one's annual nameplate capacity is assessed at 660,000 tonnes.
MRC

(britishplastics) -- In line with its new Fresh Thinking' innovation strategy, Linpac Packaging, has launched two new PP films for fresh meat, poultry and fish.

Both films - LINtop PP HB Lock Seal and LINtop PP HB Peelable - are said to guarantee to meet shelf-life targets in the PP market, helping manufacturers, retailers and consumers to reduce food waste - critical in today's cost-conscious, recessionary marketplace.

Manufactured at the company's Pontivy flexible films factory in France, both products are formulated to seal on a variety of PP trays, said to run smoothly in machines and to seal through contamination to ensure a safe and secure pack.

The lock-seal film option is available in two gauges - 35? and 42? - with the 35? being one of the lowest gauges on the market, which, according to Linpak, results in cost-savings and a low carbon footprint in line with retailers' sustainability strategies.

MRC

(chemicals-technology) -- An USD 85m butene production unit is ready for production operations at Jam petrochemical complex in Assaluyeh, Iran.

The complex is an onshore installation of the South Pars gas field, which is located in the Persian Gulf and shared between Iran and Qatar.
Jam petrochemical complex managing director Mostafa Mortazavi told Shana that the butene production facility constructed at Assaluyeh is one of the largest and most sophisticated units in the world.
Mortazavi said the unit's production capacity stands at 115,000tpa when adding the production of petrochemical complexes at Bandar Imam, Arak and Tabriz, but its annual output is no more than 30,000tpa.

"By building the unit at Jam petrochemical complex the country's need for the product, as a main feedstock for light poly ethylene units will be met fully," Mortazavi added.
He said in addition to meeting domestic needs, part of the product would be exported to other countries which will turn Iran into one of the exporters of the product.
Jam petrochemical complex, which is the biggest olefin unit in the world, has a capacity of 1.32 million tons of ethylene.

The complex also comprises a polypropylene (PP) and linear low density polyethylene (LLDPE) unit, both with a production capacity of 300,000t, while the ethylene glycol unit and linear high density polyethylene (LHDPE) have production capacities of 443,000t and 300,000t respectively.

MRC