US propane, propylene inventories drop in line with forecast

MOSCOW (MRC) -- US propane and propylene stocks decreased by 1.7 million barrels (bbl) during the week ended November 29, yielding a total combined inventory of 91.8 million bbl, reported Chemweek with reference to the US Department of Energy.

An OPIS survey of analysts and traders had forecast an average propane and propylene stock draw of 1.73 million bbl.

Combined propane and propylene stocks in Gulf Coast (PADD 3) region decreased by 500,000 bbl to 58.1 million bbl week over week. The Midwest (PADD 2) dropped by 800,000 million bbl to 22.1 million bbl. PADD 1 inventories slid by 700,000 bbl to 7.7 million bbl while PADDs 4 and 5 increased by 200,000 bbl to 3.9 million bbl.

Products supplied for propane and propylene increased this week by 534,000 b/d on the week to 1,773,000 b/d.

Propane and propylene imports week over week saw a decrease of 89,000 b/d to 104,000 b/d, and exports decreased by 471,000 b/d to 839,000 b/d.

US inventories are up 15% from the year-ago period.

Propylene is the main feedstock for the production of polypropylene (PP).

According to MRC's ScanPlast report, the estimated PP consumption in the Russian market in January-October 2019 totalled 1,066,520 tonnes, up by 7% year on year. Supply of block copolymers of propylene (PP block copolymer) and homopolymer of propylene (homopolymer PP) increased, demand for statistical copolymers (PP random copolymer) decreased.
MRC

Trinseo reduces December PS prices in Europe

MOSCOW (MRC) -- Trinseo, a global materials company and manufacturer of plastics, latex binders and synthetic rubber, and its affiliate companies in Europe have announced a price decrease for all polystyrene (PS) grades in Europe, according to the company's press release.

Effective December 1, 2019, or as existing contract terms allow, the contract and spot prices for the products listed below went down as follows:

-- STYRON general purpose polystyrene grades (GPPS) -- by EUR20 per metric ton;
-- STYRON and STYRON A-Tech and STYRON X- Tech high impact polystyrene grades (HIPS) - by EUR20 per metric ton.

As MRC informed before, Trinseo also reduced its prices for all PS grades on 1 November 2019, as stated below:

- STYRON GPPS grades - by EUR45 per metric ton;
- STYRON and STYRON A-Tech HIPS grades - by EUR45 per metric ton.

According to ICIS-MRC Price report, last week, Russian market participants were waiting for information from Nizhnekamskneftekhim on next month's prices. Amid lower prices of material in foreign markets, Nizhnekamskneftekhim took a non-traditional approach to this month's pricing. December prices will decrease by Rb3,000/tonne and will roll over for January for those buyers that will contract PS quantities for two months in advance. For those buyers that will contract only December quantities, next month's prices will be reduced by only Rb1,000/tonne.

Trinseo is a global materials company and manufacturer of plastics, latex and rubber. Trinseo's technology is used by customers in industries such as home appliances, automotive, building & construction, carpet, consumer electronics, consumer goods, electrical & lighting, medical, packaging, paper & paperboard, rubber goods and tires. Formerly known as Styron, Trinseo completed its renaming process in 1Q 2015. Trinseo had approximately USD4.6 billion in net sales in 2018, with 16 manufacturing sites around the world, and approximately 2,500 employees.
MRC

Mogilevkhimvolokno signed a contract for the supply of products to Serbia

MOSCOW (MRC) - The Belarusian petrochemical company Mogilevkhimvolvokno has entered into an agreement with a Serbian partner for USD50 mln, BElTA informs.

In general, Belarusian enterprises entered into contracts for USD120 mln in Serbia.

As per ICS-MRC Price Report, homopolymer PET produced by Mogilevkhimvolokno with delivery in December was offered to Russian customers at Rb72,000-73,000/tonne CPT Moscow, including VAT. Test batches of PET copolymer based on dimethyl terephthalate with a lower melting point in comparison with a homopolymer were successfully achieved at the plant in November. Perhaps next year this material will be offered to a wide range of buyers.

It was previously reported that Mogilevkhimvolokno launched a production facility for the production of polyester fiber by direct moulding with a capacity of 50,000 tonnes per year in January 2019. The launch of a new production is the first phase of the implementation of the large investment project "Polyester Production Complex".

Mogilevkhimvolokno OJSC is the only major producer of dimethyl terephthalate, polyester granulate PET, including food grade, polyester fibers and threads, and the main supplier of raw materials for light industry in the Republic of Belarus. The state share is 90.53%.
MRC

Maintenance work complete at ExxonMobil Singapore chemical plant

MOSCOW (MRC) -- ExxonMobil Corp said that it has completed maintenance work at its Singapore chemical plant, reported Reuters.

A company spokesman declined to provide further details of the affected units, saying that it was not the company’s practice to discuss operational details of its units.

The company said last week that the plant was undergoing maintenance, which had caused flaring at the plant.

ExxonMobil’s petrochemical complex located on Jurong Island is integrated with its refinery there and produces a range of feedstock and products such as polymers and aromatics.

As MRC informed earlier, on 12 November, 2019, Exxon Mobil Corp’s Baytown, Texas, chemical plant returned to normal operations after a malfunction in the polypropylene (PP) production area. Exxon’s adjoining 560,500-barrel-per-day (bpd) Baytown refinery was unaffected by a transformer malfunction in the chemical plant.

According to MRC's ScanPlast report, the estimated PP consumption in the Russian market in January-October 2019 totalled 1,066,520 tonnes, up by 7% year on year. Supply of block copolymers of propylene (PP block copolymer) and homopolymer of propylene (homopolymer PP) increased, demand for statistical copolymers (PP random copolymer) decreased.

ExxonMobil is the largest non-government owned company in the energy industry and produces about 3% of the world's oil and about 2% of the world's energy.
MRC

Taiyo Vinyl to shut PVC plant for maintenance

MOSCOW (MRC) -- Taiyo Vinyl is likely to take its polyvinyl chloride (PVC) plant off-stream for a maintenance turnaround, as per Apic-online.

A Polymerupdate source in Japan informed that the plant is planned to be shut in early-March 2020. The planned maintenance is expected to be remain in force for around two months.

Located in Yokkaichi in Japan, the PVC plant has a production capacity of 310,000 mt/year.

As MRC informed earlier, Taiyo Vinyl conducted maintenance turnaround at its PVC plant in Yokkaichi from early-March to end-April, 2018.

According to MRC's ScanPlast report, Russia's estimated consumption of unmixed PVC was 779,900 tonnes in January-October 2019, up by 3% year on year. Emulsion and suspension PVC markets showed an increase in supplies.

Taiyo Vinyl Corporation, a subsidiary of Tosoh Group, is one of Japan's largest manufacturers of polyvinyl chloride (PVC). The plant in Chiba is one of the company's key assests, which supplies 50% of its products to the domestic market. The company also produces PVC at the plants in Yokkaichi and Osaka with the annual capacity of 310,000 and 150,000 tonnes, respectively.
MRC