MOSCOW (MRC) - Polief is not expected to resume terephthalic acid (PTA) production by the end of November, as per ICIS-MRC Price Report.
Because of this Russian producers do not want to cut spot prices, and even slightly increased them. However, there were no signals of a possible shortage of Russian-made PET. Contract buyers continued to receive Russian material on average at Rb75,000-78,000/tonne CPT Moscow, including VAT.
Spot prices from Russian producers were in the range of Rb82,000-88,000/tonne CPT Moscow, including VAT.
Earlier it was reported about an accident at Polief, which happened on 9 October. Due to the collapse of the concrete tank, about 8 tonnes of untreated sewage spilled onto the territory of the plant and adjacent. A criminal case has been instituted on this fact regarding a violation of the rules for the treatment of environmentally hazardous substances and wastes. Investigation preliminary estimates environmental damage at 44 million roubles.
As MRC previously reported Polief plant suspended sales in the spot market after force majeure and focused on fulfilling of contractual obligations.
Polief launched the production of terephthalic acid (PTA) in Blagoveshchensk in September. The modernisation of the production of terephthalic acid (PTA) at Polyef was completed in mid-August. The volume of consumption of PTA in the Russian market is about 500,000 tonnes per year. Thus, the reconstruction of the existing production at Polief with an increase in the production capacity of the product from 272,000 tonnes to 350,000 tonnes per year will significantly replace imports. SIBUR began the reconstruction of the production of PTA in Blagoveshchensk in December 2017.
Polief JSC (Blagoveshchensk, Republic of Bashkortostan) is the only producer of terephthalic acid and the largest supplier of polyethylene terephthalate in Russia. The capacity for the production of PTA after modernisation is 350,000 tonnes per year, PET - 219,000 tonnes per year.
MRC