MOSCOW (MRC) -- Chevron Phillips Chemical's Cedar Bayou, Texas, cracker experienced flaring Wednesday in its Ethylene Unit EU-1594, reported S&P Global with reference to the company's statement in a state regulatory filing Wednesday evening.
Two acetylene reactors were shut down due to instrumentation issues, which resulted in the reactors being cleared to flare, the company said in a filing with the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality. The flare lasted for 6 hours, until Wednesday evening.
Chevron Phillips said they do not make public comments about plant operations, but said its "completed venting and cooling of reactors and re-established flow to normal operation," in its filing with the TCEQ.
Trade sources said they are not seeing a significant impact on the market because the ethylene unit has already restarted.
We remind that in March 2018, Chevron Phillips Chemical Company LP successfully introduced feedstock and commenced operations of a new ethane cracker at its Cedar Bayou facility in Baytown, Texas. At peak production, the unit will produce 1.5 million metric tons/3.3 billion lbs. per year.
As MRC wrote before, US-based Phillips 66 remains open to developing another ethane cracker for its Chevron Phillips Chemical (CP Chem) joint venture, the refiner's CEO said in March 2018.
Ethylene and propylene are feedstocks for producing polyethylene (PE) and polypropylene (PP).
According to MRC's ScanPlast report, Russia's estimated PE consumption totalled 1,589,580 tonnes in the first nine months of 2019, up by 7% year on year. Shipments of all PE grades increased. The estimated PP consumption in the Russian market was 976,790 tonnes in January-September 2019, up by 4% year on year. Shipments of PP block copolymer and homopolymer PP increased.
Headquartered in San Ramon, California, Chevron Corporation is the the second-largest integrated energy company in the United States and among the largest corporations in the world. Chevron is involved in upstream activities including exploration and production, downstream activities including refining, marketing and transportation, and advanced energy technology. Chevron is also invested in power generation and gasification processes.
Phillips 66 is a diversified energy manufacturing and logistics company with a portfolio of integrated businesses: Midstream, Chemicals, Refining, and Marketing and Specialties. The company processes, transports, stores and markets fuels and products globally. Phillips 66 Partners, its master limited partnership, is an integral part of the portfolio.
MRC