COVID-19 - News digest as of 21.05.2021

1. Indian Oil reduces crude processing to 84% as COVID-19 pandemic hits fuel demand

MOSCOW (MRC) -- Indian Oil Corp, India's top refiner, has cut crude processing to average at 84% of overall capacity from 96% in April as a devastating second wave of COVID-19 dented fuel demand, reported Reuters with reference to the company's chairman statement. Domestic sales of gasoil and gasoline by Indian state refiners plunged by a fifth in the first half of May from a month earlier, preliminary data showed on Monday, as lockdowns to curb COVID-19 cases hit industrial activities and consumption. "Demand destruction is there, which has also reflected in refinery runs... When it (fuel demand) will return to normalcy is a very difficult question to answer," Chairman SM Vaidya said, pinning recovery hopes on the country's vaccination drive against the pandemic.

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MOSCOW (MRC) -- Formosa Plastics USA, part of Formosa Petrochemical, has left force majeure (FM) on polyvinyl chloride (PVC) supplies from its plants in North America in force as of 17 May, 2021, reported S&P Global with reference to the company's letter.

The FM was declared on 15 February, 2021, due to the deep freeze that hit the region. The severe weather conditions affected then all Texas and western Louisiana facilities.

As MRC informed before, in March, 2020, Formosa Plastics was emerging from a turnaround at its 798,000 mt/year PVC plant and upstream 753,000 mt/year vinyl chloride monomer unit at its Point Comfort, Texas, complex.

According to MRC's ScanPlast report, Russia's overall PVC production reached 346,100 tonnes in the first four months of 2021, down 1% year on year. All producers decreased production volumes over the reported period, with the exception of the Bashkir Soda Company.

Formosa Petrochemical is involved primarily in the business of refining crude oil, selling refined petroleum products and producing and selling olefins (including ethylene, propylene, butadiene and BTX) from its naphtha cracking operations. Formosa Petrochemical is also the largest olefins producer in Taiwan and its olefins products are mostly sold to companies within the Formosa Group. Among the company's chemical products are paraxylene (PX), phenyl ethylene, acetone and pure terephthalic acid (PTA). The company"s plastic products include acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS) resins, polystyrene (PS), polypropylene (PP) and panlite (PC).
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MOSCOW (MRC) -- Westlake Chemical, US petrochemical major, has lifted its force majeure (FM) on US polyvinyl chloride (PVC) and upstream vinyl chloride monomer (VCM), the company announced in a customer letter dated May 17 and seen by S&P Global.

The letter said the company was "formally lifting the systemwide force majeure condition for PVC and VCM manufactured and shipped from its North American operations that was originally declared on Feb. 19" as a result of mid-February's deep freeze that "resulted in a shutdown/curtailment of our plant operations."

The winter storm brought sustained subfreezing temperatures to the US Gulf Coast and much of the US, forcing widespread petrochemical shutdowns that included at least 57% of US PVC capacity.

As MRC informed earlier, Westlake Chemical also declared FM on Aug. 31, 2020, for all its North American PVC and VCM, which left it in force in mid-October, 2020. Westlake's shutdown of its Lake Charles complex has idled 38% of its US VCM production, resulting in two VCM plants with a combined capacity of 952,318 mt/year going offline. The complex also has three upstream chlor-alkali plants with a combined capacity of 1.27 million mt/year of chlorine and 1.36 million mt/year of caustic soda - 46% of the company's overall North American chlor-alkali capacity.

According to MRC's ScanPlast report, Russia's overall PVC production reached 346,100 tonnes in the first four months of 2021, down 1% year on year. All producers decreased production volumes over the reported period, with the exception of the Bashkir Soda Company.

Westlake Chemical Corporation is an international manufacturer and supplier of petrochemicals, polymers and building products with headquarters in Houston, Texas. The company's range of products includes: ethylene, polyethylene, styrene, propylene, chlor-alkali and derivative products, PVC suspension and specialty resins, PVC Compounds, and PVC building products including siding, pipe, fittings and specialty components, windows, fence, deck and film.
MRC

MOSCOW (MRC) -- Indian Oil Corp, India's top refiner, has cut crude processing to average at 84% of overall capacity from 96% in April as a devastating second wave of COVID-19 dented fuel demand, reported Reuters with reference to the company's chairman statement.

Domestic sales of gasoil and gasoline by Indian state refiners plunged by a fifth in the first half of May from a month earlier, preliminary data showed on Monday, as lockdowns to curb COVID-19 cases hit industrial activities and consumption.

"Demand destruction is there, which has also reflected in refinery runs... When it (fuel demand) will return to normalcy is a very difficult question to answer," Chairman SM Vaidya said, pinning recovery hopes on the country's vaccination drive against the pandemic.

The company, along with subsidiary Chennai Petroleum, controls about a third of India's 5 million-barrels-per-day (bpd) refining capacity.

In May last year, the state-owned refiner was operating its plants at an average 67%, Vaidya said.

Still, a surge in crude prices boosted inventory gains and gross refined margins (GRMs) at IOC, helping it report a net profit of 87.81 billion Indian rupees (USD1.20 billion) for the quarter ended March 31, against a loss of 51.85 billion rupees a year ago. Analysts were expecting a profit of 55.06 billion rupees, according to Refinitiv IBES data.

As MRC informed before, Technip Energies has been recently awarded a significant Engineering, Procurement, Construction and Commissioning (EPCC) contract by Indian Oil Corporation Limited (IOCL) for its BR9 Expansion Project in Barauni, Bihar, in the Eastern part of India. This EPCC contract covers the installation of a new Once-through Hydrocracker Unit (OHCU) of 1 million metric tonnes per annum (MMTPA) capacity, a Fuel Gas Treatment Unit (FGTU) and the associated facilities.

Ethylene and propylene are the main feedstocks for the production of polyethylene (PE) and polypropylene (PP), respectively.

According to MRC's ScanPlast report, Russia's estimated PE consumption totalled 576,270 tonnes in the first three month of 2021, up by 4% year on year. Low density polyethylene (LDPE) and high density polyethylene (HDPE) shipments increased. At the same time, PP shipments to the Russian market totalled 410,890 tonnes in January-March 2021, up by 56% year on year. Supply of homopolymer PP and PP block copolymers increased.
MRC

MOSCOW (MRC) - Imports of polypropylene (PP) into Belarus decreased to about 26,900 tonnes in 2020, down 0.8% year on year, compared to the same period of 2020. The greatest increase in imports accounted for homopolymer PP, according to MRC DataScope.

March PP imports into Belarus rose to 10,200 tonnes from 9,100 tonnes a month earlier. Local companies increased their purchases of injection moulding propylene copolymers in Russia and in Middle East. Total PP imports into the country reached 26,900 tonnes in January - March, compared with 27,100 tonnes year on year. The demand only for homopolymer PP increased, but demand for propylene copolymers decreased.

The structure of PP imports by grades looked the following way over the stated period.

March imports of homopolymer PP increased to 6,900 tonnes from 6,700 tonnes a month earlier, purchases of injection moulding homopolymer PP in Russia increased. Overall imports of homopolymer PP reached 19,500 tonnes in the first three months of the year, up by 0.4% year on year.

March imports of propylene copolymers to Belarus were about 3,300 tonnes versus 2,400 tonnes a month earlier, local companies increased significantly their procurement of injection moulding block-copolymers of propylene (PP block copolymer) from Russian and Middle Eastern producers. Thus, overall imports of propylene copolymers reached 7,300 tonnes in January-March 2021, down by 4% year on year.


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