PE units planned to be taken off-stream by Fushun Petrochemical

MOSCOW (MRC) -- Fushun Petrochemical (Liaoning, China) is likely to take its polyethylene (PE) units off-stream for maintenance turnaround, said Apic-online.

A source in China informed that the units are planned to be taken off-stream on May 15, 2013. They are likely to stay shut for around one month.

As MRC informed earlier, a subsidiary of PetroChina - Fushun Petrochemical - in the second half of this year, started production of basic petrochemical products at its new plant in Fushun, Liaoning Province, China. The design capacity of the petrochemical complex is 300,000 tpa of polypropylene (PP), 350,000 tpa of high density polyethylene (HDPE) and 450,000 tpa of linear low density polyethylene (LLDPE).

PetroChina Company Limited is a Chinese oil company and is the listed arm of state-owned China National Petroleum Corporation (CNPC), headquartered in Dongcheng District, Beijing. It is China's biggest oil producer and the most profitable company in Asia.

MRC

MOSCOW (MRC) - Russia's imports of suspension polyvinylchloride (SPVC) in April 2013 decreased by 8% from March to about 53,600 tonnes. The main decrease in the supplies occured on US resin, according to MRC DataScope.

Despite the low seasonal demand for SPVC in the beginning of the year, its imports in March hit a record of 58,000 tonnes. But in April SPVC imports were reduced by 8% compared with the March to 53,600. The imports from China was still at a high level, while the deliveries of US SPVC declined significantly because of the increase in export prices of SPVC in February - March.

Thus, in April 2013, imports of SPVC from US amounted to 19,000 tonnes, down 25% from March. The SPVC deliveries were cut from all North American producers, the only exception made OxyVinyls's resin.

Import of Chinese acetylene PVC in April, on the contrary, increased slightly and reached 28,800 tonnes, while in March it was 28,200 tonnes. The supplies of SPVC from Xinjiang Zhongtai in April rose to 20,600 tonnes (from 11,700 tonnes in March), while imports of resin from Xinjiang Tianye fell from 16,500 tonnes in March to 8,200 tonnes in April.

In April, a small increase in imports of SPVC was seen from European and South Korean producers - to 5,800 tonnes, compared to the March 4,700 tonnes.

In general, over the four months of this year, the total imports of SPVC to Russia made 170,000 tonnes, up 44% year on year.


MRC

MOSCOW (MRC) -- Ufaorgsintez (part of "Bashneft"), one of the largest Russian petrochemical companies, has stopped production of polypropylene (PP) for maintenance, according to MRC analysts.

On Sunday, 12 May, the company shut its PP production for a scheduled turnaround. The outage is going to last two weeks. The annual PP capacity of the plant is 100,000 tonnes.

As reported, at night, on 26 April, Ufaorgsintez stopped the production of high-density polyethylene (LDPE) and polypropylene. Maintenance work lasted for 2 days.

A planned shutdown of the plant's LDPE production is scheduled for September 2013.

Ufaorgsintez (part of "Bashneft") specializes in the production of petrochemical products. The plant produces basic
polymers and synthetic rubber. Thus, the company produces a wide range of products, including phenol, acetone, chemical rubber, low-density polyethylene (LDPE), polypropylene (PP), etc. Besides, the plant manufactures finished goods of its products - plastic bags, boxes made of polyethylene, film, etc. In terms of production volumes, the company is one of the largest producers in the country (40% - phenol, 13% - polyethylene, 20% -polypropylene).
MRC

MOSCOW (MRC) -- In May, European makers reduced their export polyvinyl chloride (PVC) prices for the CIS countries by EUR40-50/tonne following a major drop in the contract ethylene price, according to ICIS-MRC Price report.

The contract ethylene price in Europe for May shipments has been agreed by EUR100/tonne lower than April's level. A significant fall in ethylene prices and decline in export prices in the US made European producers reduce proportionally their export PVC prices in May for the CIS markets.

Deals for May shipments of suspension PVC from Europe to the CIS countries are being agreed in the range of EUR700-760/tonne, FCA, which is on average by EUR40-50/tonne lower from April. Some market participants report that they were able to achieve lower prices than EUR700/tonne, FCA, for May shipments.

European producers are trying to limit their sales at such low prices in May, expecting a price increase in June amid rising oil quotations. Also, some market participants report that they have faced a limited supply of resin with the point K = 70 for export.
MRC

MOSCOW (MRC) -- An Indian ministerial panel has approved 25 oil and gas and 13 power projects involving investments worth billions of dollars as part of its efforts to boost economic growth, according to The Wall Street Journal.

These are among the many projects in India which are facing delays due to bureaucratic red-tape, creating an obstacle to growth in an economy expanding at its weakest pace in a decade. In December, the government set up the Cabinet Committee on Investments to fast-track industrial and infrastructure projects.

Fresh investment of USD1.9 billion will now be made over the next three to five years in these 25 projects, the government said in a statement. Investments of USD2.71 billion have already been made in them, it added.

The panel also reviewed 20 power projects and approved 13 of them involving investments of 330 billion rupees (USD6.1 billion), the government said. These include transmission networks as well as hydroelectric and thermal-power projects which needed clearances mainly from the environment ministry.

The remaining seven power projects involving investments of 320 billion rupees still haven't been cleared. These are facing delays over land acquisition, fuel supply and environmental clearances, the minister said.

We remind that, as MRC reported earlier, Indian Oil Corp (IOC) is planning a Rs 30,000 crore refinery on the west coast in Gujarat or Maharashtra as part of its plans to raise the refining capacity to 100 mln tonnes. Besides, Reliance Industries plans to expand capacity at its refineries in the western state of Gujarat. Also last year, Reliance unveiled an USD18 billion investment plan for India over the next five years.
MRC