GPPC to undertake maintenance at SM plant

MOSCOW (MRC) -- Grand Pacific Petrochemical Corp (GPPC) is likely to shut its styrene monomer (SM) plant for a maintenance turnaround, as per Apic-online.

A Polymerupdate source in Taiwan informed that the plant is planned to be shut for maintenance in mid-April 2018. It is slated to remain off-line for a period of around four weeks.

Located at Kaohsiung in Taiwan, the SM plant has a production capacity of 250,000 mt/year.

As MRC informed before, this year, GPPC conducted maintenance at this SM plant from mid-February to 9 April.

Grand Pacific Petrochemical Corp (GPPC) was founded in 1973. Starting with styrene monomer, commonly known as SM, GPPC and its subsidiaries have gradually broadened the product line to include SM, ABS, SAN, PS, and H2. Currently, GPPC has two SM plants with a total annual capacity of 330,000 metric tons, an ABS/SAN plant producing 80,000 metric tons per annum and a hydrogen plant with a capacity of 600 cubic meters per hour. In addition, two GPPC's subsidiaries, GPPC chemical and BC chemical, are engaged in the polystyrene (PS) production with a combined annual capacity of 100,000 metric tons. Anticipating the regional fast growth, GPPC invested in Grand Pacific Chemical (Thailand) Co., Ltd. and founded Zhenjiang GPPC Chemical Co., Ltd.(China) for the ABS production in 1991 and 1996, respectively.
MRC

PP imports to Ukraine up by 3% in January-October 2017

MOSCOW (MRC) -- Overall imports of polypropylene (PP) into the Ukrainian market decreased in the first ten months of 2017 by 3% year on year to 100,500 tonne, as per MRC's DataScope report.

October PP imports into Ukraine rose to 11,100 tonnes, compared with 9,300 tonnes in September; the main increase accounted for the supply of homopolymer PP raffia grade. Overall imports of propylene polymers reached 100,500 tonnes in January-October 2017, compared to 97,800 tonnes a year earlier. Demand for all PP grades increased, but PP block copolymers accounted for the greatest growth.

The structure of PP imports by grades looked the following way over the stated period.

Last month's imports of homopolymer PP to the Ukrainian market grew to 8,600 tonnes from 6,600 tonnes in September. The main increase in deliveries fell on polypropylene from Saudi Arabia and Russia. Imports of homopolymer PP into the country over the ten months reached 76,600 tonnes, up 3% year on year.

October imports of PP block copolymers into the country decreased to 1,100 tonnes, which practically the same as in September. Local companies kept their demand for injection moulding and pipe propylene copolymers at high level. Imports of PP block copolymers into the country were about 10,800 tonnes in January-October, compared with a little more than 10,000 tonnes. Local pipes producers accounted for the greatest increase in demand.

October imports of PP random copolymers into Ukraine decreased to 1,100 tonnes against 1,500 tonnes in September, with decrease in purchases provided by local producers of pipes and injection moulding products. Overall imports of PP random copolymers reached 11,300 tonnes in January-October 2017, whereas this figure was 11,100 tonnes a year earlier.

Total imports of other propylene copolymers over the reporting period were 1,800 tonnes, compared with 2,000 tonnes in the same time a year earlier.

MRC

PE imports to Ukraine down by 5% in January-October 2017

MOSCOW (MRC) -- Overall imports of polyethylene (PE) into the Ukrainian market dropped in the first ten months of 2017 by 5% year on year to 204,500 tonnes. The greatest increase in demand occurred for high density polyethylene (HDPE), according to MRC DataScope.

October imports of polyethylene to Ukraine practically remained at the level of September and reached about 19,100 tonnes, local companies increased purchases of HDPE and low density polyethylene (LDPE). Overall PE imports decreased 204,500 tonnes in January-October 2017, compared to 216,400 tonnes a year earlier, on lower demand for LDPE and HDPE, while demand for other ethylene polymers increased.

Structure of PE imports over the reported period was as follows.


Last month, imports of HDPE into the Ukrainian market increased, and some local companies actively built up additional stocks of pipe and injection moulding HDPE. October HDPE imports into the country were about 6,900 tonnes, compared with 5,900 tonnes in September.
Overall HDPE imports decreased to 81,500 tonnes in the first ten months of the year, compared to 101,000 tonnes a year earlier. The most reduction in imports accounted in the film HDPE, resulting from the resumption of local production.

October LDPE imports grew to 6,000 tonnes from 5,600 tonnes a month earlier, with Russian producers accounting for the main increase in shipments. Overall LDPE imports exceeded 55,500 tonnes over the stated period, down by 1% year on year.

Last month's LLDPE imports were 4,900 tonnes, compared to 6,400 tonnes in September, with stretch films producers accounting for a decrease in demand. Overall LLDPE imports grew to 54,200 tonnes in January-October 2017 from 48,100 tonnes a year earlier. Producers of film products and large items, produced by rotational moulding, accounted for the main increase in demand.

Imports of other PE grades, including ethylene-vinyl-acetate (EVA), totalled 13,300 tonnes over the stated period, compared to 11,400 tonnes a year earlier.


MRC

PET Technologies opens new production plant in Ukraine

MOSCOW (MRC) -- Blow moulding machinery supplier PET Technologies has opened a new production facility in Chernihiv, Ukraine to mark its 18th birthday, said Plasticsnewseurope.

The Neunkirchen, Austria-based supplier of blow moulding machinery, moulds, filling lines, PET bottle design and service, said the new site housed office and production spaces, including a 7.000 sq. m PET stretch blow moulding hall.

The company said it would be producing its automatic PET stretch blow moulder APF-Max, with output up to 14 000 bph, at the site.
MRC

Iran has exported 4.26 MMbbl of oil from South Pars since March

MOSCOW (MRC) -- Iran has exported about 4.26 MMbbl of oil from South Pars to international destinations since the beginning of the Iranian calendar year, which began in late March, Fardin Asadi, the manager for development of oil layers at South Pars, reported Reuters with reference to Iranian Students’ News Agency (ISNA).

South Pars is the world’s largest gas field which also has significant oil reserves. Approximately 25,000 bbl of oil are extracted from South Pars daily, Asadi told ISNA.

France’s Total signed a deal with Tehran in July to develop phase 11 of South Pars, marking the first major Western energy investment in Iran since the lifting of sanctions against the country last year.

Total will be the operator with a 50.1% stake, alongside Chinese state-owned oil and gas company CNPC with 30%, and National Iranian Oil Co subsidiary Petropars with 19.9%.

The field exported about $6.9 B worth of gas condensate, a 28% increase in the value of exports of that product over the same period last year, a customs official told state media in August.

As MRC infromed previously, in June 2017, Russian oil major Rosneft agreed to explore and develop five fields in Iraq's Kurdistan as the company seeks to become a key player in one of the world's newest and fastest-growing oil provinces.
MRC