PC imports to Belarus rose by 29% in Jan-Jul 2019

MOSCOW (MRC) -- Overall imports of polycarbonate (PC) granules into Belarus grew in the first seven months of 2019 by 29% year on year to 8,200 tonnes, according to MRC's DataScope report.

July PC imports into the country fell by 32% year on year to 900 tonnes from 1,300 tonnes a month earlier. July 2018 imports of material to Belarus were at 800 tonnes.

Spain (33%), the Netherlands (25%) and Lithuania (16%) are the main countries-importers of PC into Belarus. The bulk of the imported material is then delivered to Russia.
MRC

MOSCOW (MRC) -- Overall imports of general purpose polystyrene (GPPS) and high impact polystyrene (HIPS) to Belarus decreased in the first seven months of 2019 by 12% year on year to 21,800 tonnes, according to MRC's DataScope report.

This figure was at 19,500 tonnes in January-July 2018.

GPPS and HIPS imports from Russia accounted for 81% of the total imports in the first seven months of 2019 or 17,600 tonnes, up by 2,300 tonnes a year earlier.

At the same time, July GPPS and HIPS imports into the country grew by 27% year on year to 3,300 tonnes versus 2,600 tonnes a year earlier.

July shipments of material rose by 5% from June 2019 (3,200 tonnes).

July imports of material from Russian into Belarus grew by 58% year on year to 2,800 tonnes from 1,800 tonnes in July 2018, June shipments were at 2,700 tonnes.

MRC

MOSCOW (MRC) -- Kazanorgsintez (part of TAIF Group) has completely shut down its high density polyethylene (HDPE) production for a scheduled turnaround, according to ICIS-MRC Price report.

The plant's customers said Kazanorgsintez completely took off-stream its HDPE for the annual scheduled maintenance on 26 September. Besides, the plant's low density polyethylene (LDPE) production capacities were also shut at the same time.

The outage will be quite long and the completion of the maintenance works is planned only by 20 October. The shutdown of production capacities will take place in two stages, and a complete resumption of production at all reactors after the turnaround is expected by 24 October.

PJSC "Kazanorgsintez" (part of TAIF Group) is one of Russia's largest plants. Kazanorgsintez produces 40% of overall Russian polyethylene (PE) and is the country's largest exporter. To date, the plant produces PE, polycarbonate (PC), PE pipes, phenol, acetone, bisphenol A. Kazanorgsintez is Russia's only PC producer. It manufactures a total of 170 items of products. Kazanorgsintez's annual output is 1.6 million tonnes. The plant is Russia's largest producer of high density polyethylene (HDPE). The plant's annual HDPE production capacity is 540,000 tonnes and its annual LDPE capacity is 225,000 tonnes.
MRC

MOSCOW (MRC) -- Eni SPA is investigating an explosion that occurred early on Sept. 17 at its 200,000-b/d Sannazzaro de’ Burgondi refinery near Pavia, in Po Valley, Italy, reported Oil&Gas Journal.

The explosion, which occurred at 6:30 a.m. local time in one part of a gasification line, did not cause any injuries to personnel but did generate a certain amount of smoke, Eni said.

The incident did not result in a fire, and further assessments are now currently under way to quantify damages.

The refinery continues to operate normally, Eni said.

As MRC informed earlier, Italy’s Versalis (part of Eni) took its cracker in Dunkirk, France offline in early September, 2019, due to a fire which broke out at the company’s petrochemical plant. It is not yet known how long the unit will remain shut. Local media sources also reported that the fire was brought under control with no reported injuries and the company is currently assessing the required repairs. The cracker has a production capacity of 380,000 tons/year of ethylene and 95,000 tons/year of propylene.

Ethylene and propylene are feedstocks for producing polyethylene (PE) and polyprolypele (PP).

According to MRC's ScanPlast report, Russia's estimated PE consumption totalled 1,255,800 tonnes in the first seven months of 2019, up by 9% year on year. Shipments of all PE grades increased. At the same time, the estimated PP consumption in the Russian market was 796,120 tonnes in January-July 2019, up by 11% year on year. Shipments of PP block copolymer and homopolymer PP increased.

Eni is an Italian multinational oil and gas company headquartered in Rome. It has operations in in 79 countries, and is currently Italy's largest industrial company with a market capitalization of 68 billion euros (USD 90 billion), as of August 14, 2013. The Italian government owns a 30.3% golden share in the company, 3.93% held through the state Treasury and 26.37% held through the Cassa depositi e prestiti. Another 39.40% of the shares are held by BNP Paribas.
MRC

MOSOCW (MRC) -- Essar Oil UK aims to lift processing of US oil at its 200,000 barrels per day Stanlow refinery by March to 40% from 35% currently, reported Reuters with reference to its Chief Executive Officer S. Thangapandian said.

Speaking on the sidelines of the Asia Pacific Petroleum Conference (APPEC), Thangapandian also told Reuters his company is in talks with some parties to sell a majority stake in its Stanlow Oil Terminal Ltd infrastructure business as it seeks to leverage its portfolio of assets.

He didn’t identify potential buyers, but said the company was looking for "a strategic partner" for the majority stake in the infrastructure business, which carries a value of around USD1 billion.

"Currently US crude is making sense to us," Thangapandian said.

"As long as US oil is Brent-minus it is in the game," he said, referring to US crude costing less than the international benchmark. Thangapandian said his company procures most of the US oil from spot markets.

As MRC informed previously, India’s Essar Oil in 2011 acquired Stanlow refinery from Shell.

Since then it had carried out modifications including shutting some units in an effort to make the refinery profitable. Thangapandian said Stanlow’s current gross refining Margins is USD9.5-10/bbl.

Essar Oil UK plans to increase its retail fuel station network to 500 in 5 years from the current 72. The refiner also imports fuels and says it has a 16% share of the market.

As MRC repoted before, in late August 2018, s fire which broke out at a Shell-owned chemical plant on the same site as Essar Oil UK’s Stanlow refinery in northwestern England was extinguished. Essar said that operations at its refinery were unaffected by the fire. The Shell Higher Olefins Plant (SHOP) is separated from the refinery by a road and rail tracks. Essar operates the chemical plant as well as the refinery. At Stanlow, Shell uses ethylene to manufacture polymer, lubricant and detergent intermediates, plasticisers and detergent alcohols.

Ethylene and propylene are feedstocks for producing polyethylene (PE) and polyprolypele (PP).

According to MRC's ScanPlast report, Russia's estimated PE consumption totalled 1,255,800 tonnes in the first seven months of 2019, up by 9% year on year. Shipments of all PE grades increased. At the same time, the estimated PP consumption in the Russian market was 796,120 tonnes in January-July 2019, up by 11% year on year. Shipments of PP block copolymer and homopolymer PP increased.
MRC