Karpatneftekhim cut PVC production in August on turnaround

MOSCOW (MRC) -- The largest Ukrainian producer of polymers Karpatneftekhim in August reduced the production of PVC. The company had stopped its capacity for routine maintenance by November,1, as per MRC analysts.

Karpatneftekhim (Lukoil Group) in August reduced the production of polyvinyl chloride to 11,600 tonnes. The reduction of the loading capacities of PVC was carried out in the framework of the planned shutdown for scheduled maintenance in early September. At the same time amid the deficit in the market in Russia and Ukraine the production of high density polyethylene (HDPE) worked with 100% loading. In August, the output of HDPE exceeded 9,300 tonnes.

The turnaround of Karpatneftehim capacities began in early September and is scheduled to last until November, 1, but the company's management does not exclude the deadlines of production restart could be changed. In the framework of scheduled maintenance there will be carried out repair works in the production of ethylene, polyethylene, caustic soda and PVC.

Over the eight months, Karpatneftekhim produced about 73,500 tonnes of high density polyethylene (HDPE) and 117,500 tonnes of polyvinyl chloride (PVC).

MRC

MOSCOW (MRC) – Russian Tomskneftekhim is carrying out an inspection of its capacities after an explosion followed by fire on Wednesday. The fire, broken during the scheduled maintenance, had no serious consequences for production and will not affect the work of the plant, as per MRC analysts.

On Sunday, September, 9 Tomskneftekhim started the scheduled turnaround of its production of polyethylene of low density (LDPE). The turnaround is scheduled to be carried out for two reactors of LDPE in two stages. The first line will be closed for repair from the 9th to 19th of September, the second line - from the 13th to 22th of September. The production of polypropylene is also scheduled to be closed for 4-days maintenance within the framework of planned maintenance.

On Wednesday, Sept 12, during the planned maintenance work there was a technological explosion at the Tomskneftekhim capacities, which caused the fire. The fire was extinguished quickly. As per the press-service of EMERCOM in the Tomsk region, one of the workers had suffered minor burns.

According to unofficial information, the incident had no serious consequences for production and will not affect the operation of the plant. Over the seven months, Tomskneftekhim produced over 147,800 tonnes of HDPE and about 78,000 tonnes of polypropylene.

MRC

(chemmonitor) -- An Australian Federal Government agency protecting the safety, security and commercial interests of the country is considering anti-dumping measures for polyvinyl chloride (PVC) homopolymer resin from South Korea, the United States and Japan.

The first inquiry of the agency is dedicated to values and NIFOB prices for USA and Japanese imported material. The second one concerns measures for Japanese PVC imports. The timeline ends in late October of the existing year. The last one is reviewing the dumping of the material exported from S Korea.
MRC

(hydrocarbonprocessing) -- An inspection of a 4-foot segment of a pipe leading from the refinery's crude distillation unit showed its walls were 1/16 of an inch thick, down from its normal 5/16 of an inch, said Daniel Horowitz, spokesman for the Chemical Safety Board, an independent agency that probes refinery accidents.

A key pipe in the unit that caught fire at Chevron’s refinery in Richmond, Calif., had lost about 80% of its thickness before the August accident, a federal investigator said Wednesday.

The pipe is one of the focuses of the investigation into how the fire started at the 245,000 bpd refinery. The blaze lasted for hours, sending black smoke over the San Francisco Bay and forcing local residents to shelter in place.

An inspection of a 4-foot segment of a pipe leading from the refinery's crude distillation unit showed its walls were 1/16 of an inch thick, down from its normal 5/16 of an inch, said Daniel Horowitz, spokesman for the Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board, an independent agency that investigates accidents at refineries.

Chevron in November removed another pipe near the one now being inspected. Investigators were now looking at why Chevron didn't replace both pipes. "That's the prevailing view, that this is a big reason why the event occurred," Mr. Horowitz said. "As to why that thinning occurred, that's what we'll have to find out."

A Chevron spokesman wasn't immediately available.
MRC

(plasteurope) -- German industrial packaging specialist Mauser (Bruhl) has invested EUR 15m in a new site in Jiangyin / China, aimed at meeting rising regional demand for its product portfolio. The plant will produce intermediate bulk containers (IBCs), 210-litre L-Ring and open top drums as well as 210-litre steel drums. Mauser said the facility was the only one in China that produces both PE and steel drums as well as IBCs.

The unit will be headed by SBU manager Asia Pacific Christian Schaedlich, the successor of Hans-Peter Schaefer, who became Mauser group CEO in February. The Jiangyin facility is the latest in a string of global investments by the German group, which since late 2011 has upped its activities in the US, The Netherlands, Turkey, Brazil, Poland and Germany, among others.

As per MRC, Germany-based industrial packaging producer Mauser Group set to open its first plant in Gliwice, Poland, in an effort to expand its presence in Europe.
MRC