Thai PTT to start maintenance at LDPE plant in Thailand on 1 October

MOSCOW (MRC) -- Thailand’s PTTGC is planning to shut its LDPE unit in Map Ta Phut, Thailand for a planned turnaround on 1 October, 2019, according to NCT.

The maintenance works are expected to last until 30 October.

The unit is able to produce 300,000 tons/year of LDPE.

PTT currently has a total capacity of 800,000 mt/year of high density polyethylene (HDPE), 300,000 mt/year of low density polyethylene and 800,000 mt/year of LLDPE at the same site.

As MRC informed earlier, PTT started commercial operations at its new 400,000 mt/year metallocene C6 linear low density polyethylene plant at Map Ta Phut, Thailand, in the first quarter of 2018.

According to MRC's ScanPlast report, Russia's estimated LDPE consumption totalled 338,390 tonnes in the first seven months of 2019, up by 3% year on year. Some producers' LDPE output decreased, exports also subsided. Excessive supply of LDPE vanished in the market in August because of the shutdowns at two plants at once. And there was even a slight shortage already in the second half of the month.

PTT Global Chemical is a leading player in the petrochemical industry and owns several petrochemical facilities with a combined capacity of 8.45 million tonnes a year.
MRC

MOSCOW (MRC) -- Ufaorgsintez (petrochemical asset of Bashneft, which is part of Rosneft) plans to shut down its second low density polyethylene (LDPE) line for maintenance on 17 September, according to ICIS-MRC Price report.

The plant's customers said the turnaround at this production line is expected to last for one week.

Ufaorgsintez's total LDPE production capacity is 90,000 tonnes/year.

As reported earlier, Ufaorgsintez took off-stream its second LDPE line for a fairly long scheduled maintenance from 19 September to 13-14 October, 2018. The first line was shut for a 30-day turnaround and completely resumed operations on 1 October, 2018.

PJSC Ufaorgsintez produces phenol, acetone, synthetic ethylene-propylene rubber, high and low density polyethylene, polypropylene, over 30 types of petrochemical products and over 25 items of consumer products. Ufaorgsintez reduced its net profit by 18% in the first half of 2019. The company's revenue has not changed. Ufaorgsintez received revenue in the amount of Rb15.35 billion in the first six months of 2019 versus Rb15.25 billion a year earlier.
MRC

MOSCOW (MRC) -- Gazprom neftekhim Salavat's polystyrene (PS) was shipped to Russian customers in extremely limited quantities in the first half of September, according to ICIS-MRC Price report.

There have been no available quantities of Gazprom neftekhim Salavat's premium grade general purpose polystyrene (GPPS) in free sale so far.

At the same time, shipments of Salavat material were earlier expected to normalize at the beginning of September.

As reported previously, the resumption of Gazprom neftekhim Salavat's GPPS production after a scheduled turnaround was delayed for several weeks. The plant’s production capacities were shut for maintenance in July. However, the company was planning to reach a standard capacity utilisation at the plant in September.

OAO "Gazprom neftekhim Salavat" (formerly OAO "Salavatnefteorgsintez") is one of the leading petrochemical companies in Russia, carrying out a full cycle of processing hydrocarbon material. The list of products manufactured by the plant includes more than 140 items, including 76 grades of the main products: gasoline, diesel fuel, kerosene, fuel oil, toluene, solvent, liquefied gases, benzene, styrene, ethylbenzene, butyl alcohols, phthalic anhydride and plasticizers, polyethylene, polystyrenes, silica gels and zeolite catalysts, corrosion inhibitors, elemental sulfur, ammonia and urea, glycols and amines, a wide range of household products made of plastics, surfactants and much more.
MRC

MOSCOW (MRC) -- A shortage of Nizhnekamskneftekhim's polystyrene (PS) remained in the Russian market, according to ICIS-MRC Price report.

The largest XPS boards producers also felt the shortage of the feedstock.

Delivery times for medium- and small-sized customers may be two-three weeks.

As reported earlier, Nizhnekamskneftekhim (part of the TAIF group) raised its September selling prices of high impact polystyrene (HIPS) and general purpose polystyrene (GPPS) by Rb2,000/tonne for most Russian buyers.
MRC

MOSCOW (MRC) -- Imports of unmixed polyvinyl chloride (PVC) into Kazakhstan rose in the first seven months of 2019 by 1% year on year to 30,300 tonnes, reported MRC analysts.

Demand for PVC increased significantly from local companies in July under the pressure of seasonal factors, July imports of unmixed PVC were 8,100 tonnes versus 3,800 tonnes in June. Thus, overall imports of resin reached 30,300 tonnes in January-July 2019, compared to 29,900 tonnes a year earlier.

Due to the geographical position, Chinese producers with the share of about 96% of the local market over the stated period were the main PVC suppliers to Kazakhstan. Russia was the second largest PVC supplier, shipments of Russian resin reached 1,200 tonnes over the stated period.
MRC