PET imports to Russia grew by half in January

MOSCOW (MRC) -- In January, imports of PET granulate to the Russian domestic market increased by 50% compared to January 2012, according to MRC ScanPlast.

In January 2012, volumes of imported PET to Russia grew by more than 3,000 tonnes year-on-year and made about 9,100 tonnes.

The rise in imports of bottle PET was due to several factors. Firstly, the increase in bottle PET prices, which began in late November, 2012, added to a growth of purchases by Russian converters. Secondly, the increase in consumer activity and lack of significant stocks in Russia resulted in the shortage of the material in the domestic market, which led to the increased amounts of purchases from Asia.

According to PET converters, imports of the material is expected to increase in February compared to January.

Chinese PET granulate prevailed in the structure of January shipments. In general, Chinese PET imports made about 6,100 tonnes in January. In January, the leader in terms of granulate shipping volumes is China Resources Chemicals (3,200 tonnes). Also, imports of German PET granulate increased substantially. Imports of German PET maker Invista to Russia made 835 tonnes.

MRC

MOSCOW (ICIS-MRC) - Last week the price of Russian bottle PET granulate grew on average by Rb200-500/tonne on the deficit of spot volumes of PET in the Russian domestic market, as well as rising prices in Asia, according to MRC Price Report.

The increase in current prices reflects the ongoing uptrend of the prices in the Russian market. As a result of rising quotations, spot prices of Russian PET increased to Rb64,000-66,000/tonne, CPT Moscow, including VAT.

Russian producers and converters still report about the lack of spot volumes. According to producers, now the spot volumes of PET are being sold for March shipments. The source also noted that spot volumes for February shipments are completely contracted.

The increase in capacity utilization of Alco-Nafta (Kaliningrad), scheduled for March, as well as an increase in imports of Asian material may slightly reduce the deficit in the domestic market. MRC analysts consider that in the next few months the demand for granulate in the Russian domestic market will be positive for the makers.

MRC

MOSCOW (ICIS-MRC) -- Despite negotiations on the contract price of ethylene for February at the level of January, European producers have raised export PVC prices for the CIS markets by EUR20-30/tonne, according to ICIS-MRC Price report.

The contract ethylene price in Europe for February was agreed at the level of January. Despite this fact, European producers have raised their export PVC prices for the CIS markets for February, citing poor marginality of the production. Some market participants do not exclude that the rise of the European PVC price was also due to the limited volumes and price increases in the U.S.

Deals for January shipments of European PVC were concluded in the range of EUR730-780/tonne, FCA. For February shipments, European makers managed to get a price increase to the level of EUR750-810/tonne, FCA, citing the high cost of feedstock.

Some market participants do not exclude that European PVC producers got such a significant increase in prices at the beginning of the year due to the absence of an alternative - North American PVC. February export prices for North American PVC rose to the level of USD1,000-1,020/tonne, FAS Houston, with export quotas slashed several times. Besides, there are no price offers for the resin from Formosa and Georgia Gulf.
MRC

MOSCOW (MRC) -- US-based atmospheric gases producer Airgas is planning to establish a new carbon dioxide purification and liquefaction plant in Houston, US, said Chemicals-technology.

The 450 tonnes-per-day plant will replace the company's plant at the Shell refinery complex in Deer Park, Texas, US, which is expected to stop its operations in late 2013.

"The 450 tonnes-per-day plant will replace the company's plant at the Shell refinery complex in Deer Park, Texas, US."
The company said the new plant will integrate many of the existing assets, such as storage tanks, truck loading equipment, scales and analytical equipment from the current Deer Park facility.

In addition, the company's production and distribution personnel at the current Shell location will be relocated to the new facility. Construction work at the new plant is expected to begin shortly and is likely to be completed by the end of 2013.

As part of the signed long-term agreements with Airgas, the affiliates of Denbury Resources will transport and deliver the feedstock of raw carbon dioxide to the new facility.

Airgas carbonic and dry ice division president Phil Filer said with the long-term feedstock agreements, the company will be able to serve customers in the petrochemical industry, as well as the traditional food chilling and beverage carbonation industries.

"We will also be supplying liquid carbon dioxide to our dry ice facility in LaPorte, Texas," Filer added.
Operating 11 liquid carbon dioxide plants and 52 dry ice facilities, the company supplies specialty, industrial and medical gases to chemicals, food processing, food service, beverage, pharmaceutical and biotech industries.

As MRC wrote earlier, Ukraine chose Shell as a partner to develop the Yuzivska field in the east of the country and regional councils there approved the production-sharing deal last week. Ukrainian officials said earlier this month that Shell saw investment under the deal of at least USD10 billion "under the most likely scenario" and possibly as much as USD50 billion.

MRC

MOSCOW (MRC) -- PTT Asahi Kasei Chemical Co. Ltd., a joint venture of PTT, Asahi Kasei Chemical and Marubeni, has started up the first acrylonitrile production facility in Thailand at the in Map Ta Phut, said Apic-online.

The 200,000-t/y acrylonitrile plant is part of a project that also includes a 70,000-t/y methyl methacrylate (MMA) unit and a 160,000-t/y ammonium sulphate unit.

The acrylonitrile plant is based on Asahi Kasei's propane process, while the MMA plant is based on an acetone cyanohydrin process, which will use hydrogen cyanide byproduct from the acrylonitrile production as feedstock. PTT will supply acetone feedstock for the acrylonitrile facility from its phenol plant.

As MRC wrote earlier, Thailand's national petroleum company, PTT Public Company Limited (PTT), proposed to build a giant USD28.7 billion oil refinery and petrochemical complex in central Binh Dinh province, Vietnam.

PTT Asahi Chemical Company Limited (PTTAC), a company of the PTT Group, is a joint venture of PTT Public Company Limited (PTT), Thailand’s National Energy Company Asahi Kasei Chemicals Corporation (AKCC) of Japan, the world’s leading petrochemicals producer , and Marubeni Corporation (Marubeni) of Japan, one of the world’s leading petrochemicals traders with the shareholding ratio of 48.5%, 48.5% and 3% respectively. PTTAC receives joint support from the shareholders with strengths in technology, feedstock, operations and marketing.

MRC