PE and PP imports to Belarus in January-July up by 3%

MOSCOW (MRC) -- Demand for polyolefins in the Belarusian market keeps on growing. Import supplies of PE and PP over the eight months grew by 3% compared to the same period in 2012, MRC analysts say.

Over the seven months, external supplies of polyolefins (PE and PP) to Belarus exceeded 110 thous. tons against 107,3 thous. tons in 2012. The imports growth was mainly stipulated by high-density polyethylene (HDPE).

External supplies of HDPE over the analyzed period made about 36,8 thous. tons against 27,8 thous. tons a year earlier. Russian producers are the leaders in HDPE supplies to Belarus - over 19 thous. tons.

Imports of LDPE and LLDPE in January-July 2013 reduced to 26,4 thous. tons against 32,9 thous. tons in 2012. The leading positions in the external supplies belong to producers from Saudi Arabia (nearly 14,8 thous. tons).

External supplies of PP grew insignificantly and equaled 46,9 thous. tons against 46,6 thous. tons in 2012. This year imports of propylene homopolymer (PP-homo) went up to 34,4 thous. tons (33,8 thous. tons last year) while supplies of propylene copolymers, on the contrary, reduced by 3% to 12,5 thous. tons.

MRC

MOSCOW (MRC) -- Stavrolen (Lukoil Group) Ставролен suspended production of polyethylene (PE) and polypropylene (PP), MRC analysts say.

On 26 September, Stavrolen suspended ethylene production for scheduled maintenance. The works are scheduled for 2 days. Ethylene complex will restart its work on 28 September. On the back of the suspension of the ethylene complex, output of high-density polyethylene (HDPE) and PP have been suspended.

Annual capacity of HDPE and PP at Stavrolen makes 300 thous. tons and 120 thous. tons correspondingly. Over the eight months total production of PE made about 205 thous. tons, PP - 85 thous. tons.

MRC

MOSCOW (MRC) -- Suppliers of the North American PVC decreased prices for October supplies to the markets of CIS, according to ICIS-MRC Price reports.

Within seasonal fall of demand, suppliers of the North American PVC are gradually decreasing prices for the markets of CIS. This week the prices for October deliveries of the resin from USA have been announced by USD20-30 per tonne lower than September level.

Deals for deliveries of the North American PVC in October are negotiated within the range of USD1000-1020 per tonne, CFR Saint-Petersburg and CIF Odessa. Many companies still hold back from purchasing PVC in USA - taking into account the logistics, the resin will get to their warehouses in the second half of November when the season actually ends.

When taking a decision about PVC purchases form USA, besides seasonal reduction of demand for PVC products, the Russian companies also take into account a volatility of USD currency rate against Rouble. Separate companies are afraid of currency risks and prefer not to contract North American resin.

MRC

MOSCOW (MRC) -- In August 2013 growth rate of output of plastic products in Belarus slowed. Summary indicator of the growth made 3,3%, MRC analysts inform. The largest growth of production have been demonstrated by producers of plastics windows and window sills.

According to National statistics committee of Belarus, this August the output of windows and window cases made 54,4 thous. square metres that was 15% more than July indicator. Over the eight months of 2013 overall output of these products exceeded 320 thous. square metres, the growth made about 22% compared to last year period.

Output of plastics doors and door cases last month made 4,6 thous. square metres that was 11% more than in July. Though in January-August overall output of these products fell by 6,4% and made 24,6 thous. square metres.

August output of non-reinforced and non-combined polymer films made about 7,24 thous. tons, the growth made 1,4% compared to July. In January-August 2013, overall production of films exceeded 59 thous. tons, that was by 1,3% less than in January-August 2012.

August output of boxes, cases, pallets made 58 mln pcs, growth compared to July made 13,7%. Over the eight months total output of these products equaled 457,7 mln. pcs., that was by 9,4% more than the same indicator in 2012.

Production of polymer pipes, hoses and fittings last month went down to 1,3 thous. tons (in July - about 1,5 thous. tons). In January-August the production exceeded 9,4 thous. tons, that was 15% more than the same indicator in 2012.

MRC

MOSCOW (MRC) -- BP asked a US court to halt payments from its settlement agreement for the 2010 oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico until the claims administrator improves accounting and anti-fraud controls, said Upstreamonline. The request for an injunction on Monday was the latest in a string of filings by the British oil major to stop or delay payments under the costly settlement programme, Reuters reported.


BP originally expected the payout program to cost USD7.8 billion, but has said the bill has been driven up by excessive fees charged by the administrator, generous payments, and phony claims.


The oil company has sustained about USD42.4 billion in charges from the 20 April 2010 disaster aboard the Deepwater Horizon drilling rig that killed 11 workers and triggered the worst offshore oil spill in US history.


BP said all payments should be stopped until the court appointed claims administrator, Patrick Juneau, puts efficiency and accounting controls into place as recommended by former FBI Director Louis Freeh, who reviewed the payment program.


BP is awaiting decisions by a federal appeals court on several challenges it has made to the settlement and its payment formula. Barbier on 19 July rejected an earlier BP request to suspend payouts pending Freeh's review.


The trial under Barbier to determine blame and overall damages from the spill is ongoing. Separately, Alabama Attorney General Luther Strange on Monday convicted seven people of filing fraudulent claims. Strange's office did not say if those claims were filed before or after the broad settlement agreement from the spill was reached.


BP is one of the world's leading international oil and gas companies, providing its customers with fuel for transportation, energy for heat and light, retail services and petrochemicals products for everyday items.

MRC