COVID-19 - News digest as of 02.09.2020

1. Changing demand for petroleum products has led to operational changes at US refineries

MOSCOW (MRC) -- Demand for transportation fuels in the United States has fallen since mid-March because of the spread of coronavirus and efforts to mitigate it, according to Hydrocarbonprocessing. Demand for motor gasoline and jet fuel in particular has fallen to its lowest levels in years. In response, U. refineries reduced their operations to adjust to changing levels of overall demand for petroleum products and made other changes that resulted in proportionately less production of motor gasoline and jet fuel and more production of distillate fuel oil.


MRC

MOSCOW (MRC) -- Russia's overall polypropylene (PP) production increased in the first seven months of 2020 by 24% year on year to 1,063,700 tonne. ZapSibNeftekhim accounted for the main increase in the output, according to MRC's ScanPlast report.

Russian plants' total PP production grew to 158,800 tonnes in July, compared to 149,400 tonnes a month earlier; ZapSibNeftekhim, Nizhnekamskneftekhim and Poliom increased their capacity utilisation. Russia's overall PP production reached 1,063,700 tonnes in January-July 2020, compared to 854,500 tonnes a year earlier. Five out of eight producers raised their capacity utilisation, with a new producer - ZapSibNeftekhim - accounting for the main increase in the output.

The structure of PP production by plants looked the following way over the stated period.

SIBUR Tobolsk reduced its capacity utilisation in July, the plant's PP production dropped to 41,800 tonnes that month versus 49,500 tonnes a month earlier. The Tobolsk plant's overall PP production reached 259,900 tonnes in January-July 2020, down by 9% year on year.

ZapSibNeftekhim, the second Tobolsk manufacturer, produced 39,100 tonnes of PP in July versus 20,100 tonnes in June, when there was a scheduled two-week shutdown for maintenance. The plant's overall output totalled 241,700 tonnes in the first seven months of 2020.

Omsk Poliom increased its capacity utilisation in July, having produced 16,400 tonnes of PP, compared to 15,100 tonnes a month earlier. The Omsk plant's PP production totalled about 94,000 tonnes over the stated period, down by 13% year on year.

Nizhnekamskneftekhim produced 18,900 tonnes of propylene polymers in July versus 17,900 tonnes a month earlier. The Nizhnekamsk plant's overall output of polymer reached 129,000 tonnes in the first seven months of 2020, compared to 124,700 tonnes a year earlier.

Tomskneftekhim produced 12,700 tonnes of propylene polymers in July versus 12,700 tonnes a month earlier. The Tomsk plant's overall PP output reached 90,000 tonnes in January-July 2020, up by 4% year on year.

Ufaorgsintez's PP production was 10,900 tonnes in July versus 11,000 tonnes in June. The Ufa plant's overall output of polymer reached 76,200 tonnes in January-July 2020, down by 3% year on year.

Neftekhimiya (Kapotnya) produced 12,800 tonnes of PP in July, compared to 12,500 tonnes a month earlier. The plant's overall PP output reached 87,900 tonnes in the first seven months of 2020, up by 6% year on year.

Stavrolen (LUKOIL) shut its PP production in July due to technical issues, and, as a result, it produced only about 6,000 tonnes of propylene polymers versus 10,700 tonnes in June. The Budenovsk plant's overall production of propylene polymers exceeded 68,800 tonnes in the first seven months of 2020 versus 67,300 tonnes a year earlier.

MRC

MOSCOW (MRC) -- Russia's overall production of polyethylene (PE) totalled 1,712,400 tonnes in the first seven months of 2020, up by 58% year on year. Linear low density polyethylene (LLDPE) accounted for the greatest increase in the output, according to MRC's ScanPlast report.

July total PE production in Russia was 249,800 tonnes, whereas this figure was 210,500 tonnes a month earlier, ZapSibNeftekhim raised its output of PE after the shutdown for maintenance in mid-June. Thus, overall PE production reached 1,712,400 tonnes in January-July 2020, compared to 1,085,900 tonnes a year earlier. Production of all PE grades rose, but LLDPE accounted for the greatest increase, which was provided by ZapSibNeftekhim.

The PE production structure by grades looked the following way over the stated period.

July total high density polyethylene (HDPE) production exceeded 147,500 tonnes versus 114,400 tonnes a month earlier, ZapSibNeftekhim significantly increased its capacity utilisation, whereas other producers reduced their output. Russian plants' overall HDPE output reached 1,040,400 tonnes in January-July 2020, up by 84% year on year.

July total low density polyethylene (LDPE) production decreased to 50,800 tonnes from 58,600 tonnes in June, Angarsk Polymers Plant and Gazpron neftekhim Salavat shut down their production capacities for a scheduled maintenance. Thus, overall production of this PE grade totalled 389,600 tonnes over the stated period, up by 2% year on year.

July LLDPE production rose to 51,400 tonnes from 37,400 tonnes a month earlier, ZapSibNeftekhim and Kazanorgsintez increased their PE output. Overall LLDPE production grew to 282,400 tonnes in the first seven months of 2020 from 141,000 tonnes a year earlier.

MRC

MOSCOW (MRC) -- Abel Chemical is in plans to undertake a planned shutdown at its styrene monomer (SM) plant in Jiangsu province, as per Apic-online.

A Polymerupdate source in China informed that the company is likely to shut the plant for maintenance on September 1, 2020. The plant is slated to remain under maintenance for about 30-45 days.

Located at Taixing in Jiangsu province of China, the plant has a production capacity of 250,000 mt/year.

As MRC reported before, the company last conducted a turnaround at this plant from March 24, 2020, to mid-April, 2020.

SM is the main feedstock for the production of polystyrene (PS).

According to MRC's ScanPlast report, Russia's estimated consumption of PS and styrene plastics was 225,870 tonnes in the first half of 2020, down by 8% year on year. PS consumption increased by 2% year on year in June 2020, totalling 39,590 tonnes.

Abel Chemical Jiangsu Co. Ltd. manufactures and distributes chemical products. The Company produces styrene, maleic anhydride, cyclohexanone, caprolactam, polystyrene, and other chemicals. Abel Chemical Jiangsu also provides warehousing and transportation services.
MRC

MOSCOW (MRC) -- Zhejiang Petrochemical has delayed the shutdown of its polypropylene (PP) unit owing to weather issues, according to Apic-online.

A Polymerupdate source in China informed that, the company has postponed the shutdown of the unit to August 28, 2020. The unit was initially suppose to shut on August 26, 2020 and was expected to remain under maintenance for about 8-10 days.

Located at Zhoushan, Zhejiang, China, the PP unit has a production capacity of 375,000 mt/year.

As MRC reported earlier, in H1 January, 2020, Zhejiang Petrochemical Co Ltd (ZPC) achieved on-spec cargoes at its No. 1 PP plant and linear low density polyetylene (LLDPE) plant. Based in Zhejiang, China, the petrochemical complex consists of 450,000 tosn/year of high density polyethylene (HDPE), 400,000 tons/year of LLDPE and two PP plants with combined production capacity of 900,000 tons/year.

According to MRC's DataScope report, PP imports into Russia rose in the first six months of 2020 by 21% year on year to 105,300 tonnes. Propylene homopolymer (homopolymer PP) accounted for the main increase in imports.
MRC