PC imports to Belarus up 14% in Jan-Sep 2019

MOSCOW (MRC) -- Overall imports of polycarbonate (PC) granules into Belarus grew in the first nine months of 2019 by 14% year on year to 9,200 tonnes, according to MRC's DataScope report.

This figure was at 8,000 tonnes in January-September 2018.

Spain (33%), the Netherlands (24%) and Lithuania (15%) are the main countries-importers of PC into Belarus.

September PC imports to Belarus fell by 39% year on year to 300 tonnes. This figure was at 500 tonnes in September 2018. At the same time, imports of material into the country were 700 tonnes in August 2019.
MRC

ABS imports to Belarus up 8% in Jan-Sep 2019

MOSCOW (MRC) -- Overall imports of acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene (ABS) to the Belarusian market rose in the first three quarters of 2019 by 8% year on year to 5,400 tonnes, according to MRC's DataScope report.

This figure was at 5,000 tonnes in January-September 2018.


September ABS imports to Belarus grew by 28% year on year. Thus, imports of material into the country were 752 tonnes over the stated period versus 533 tonnes in August 2018.

South Korea, Russia and Belgium are the main countries-importers of ABS to Belarus.

Imports of Korean material to the Belarusian market increased in the first three quarters of 2019 by 2 times year on year: from 900 tonnes in January-September 2018 to 2,100 tonnes. The share of ABS imports from South Korea in the total shipments to the country rose significantly in the first three quarters of 2019 to 40% from 18% a year earlier.

Shipments of Korean ABS to the Republic of Belarus were 328 tonnes in September versus 260 tonnes in August, whereas imports of material were only 68 tonnes in September 2018.


Deliveries of Russian material decreased in January-September by 28% year on year: from 2,100 tonnes to 1,500 tonnes. The share of Russian companies' ABS in the overall imports to the country fell in the first nine months of 2019 to 28% from 41% a year earlier. Shipments of Russian material to Belarus were 195 tonnes in September versus 168 tonnes in August, whereas imports of Russian material were 255 tonnes in September 2018.

Imports of material from Belgium also dropped in the first three quarters of 2019. Thus, shipments of Belgian ABS to the country decreased by 23% year on year: from 1,600 tonnes to 1,200 tonnes. However, September ABS imports from Belgium quadrupled compared to August, totalling 176 tonnes.

MRC

JXTG Nippon Oil restarts of Mizushima FCC unit

MOSCOW (MRC) -- JXTG Nippon Oil & Energy has brought on-stream its fluid catalytic cracker (FCC) unit early last week, according to Apic-online.

A Polymerupdate source in Japan, informed that, the company has resumed operations at its unit, on November 19, 2019. The unit was shut for maintenance, on September 10, 2019.

Located at Mizushima, Japan, the FCC unit has a propylene capacity of 93,000 mt/year.

As MRC reported earlier, JXTG Nippon Oil & Energy conducted maintenance works at its FCC unit at Sendai, Japan from June 10, 2019, to early-August, 2019. Located at Sendai, Japan, the FCC unit has a propylene capacity of 100,000 mt/year.

Propylene is a feedstock for the production of polyprolypele (PP).

According to MRC's ScanPlast report, the estimated PP consumption in the Russian market was 976,790 tonnes in January-September 2019, up by 4% year on year. Shipments of PP block copolymer and homopolymer PP increased.
MRC

Major blast hits TPC Port Neches butadiene plant in Texas

MOSCOW (MRC) -- A major explosion and fire hit the TPC Group's Port Neches petrochemical plant east of Houston, Texas, early Wednesday, reported S&P Global with reference to local media reports.

Video footage of a large fireball exploding has been posted on social media and local firefighters have evacuated an area around the plant, according to the Nederland Volunteer Fire Department.

The company was not immediately available for comment.

Located adjacent to the Sabine Neches River, the Port Neches plant can produce more than 900 million pounds (408,233 mt) of butadiene and raffinate a year, according to the company's website.

Raffinate is a chemical building block used in the manufacture of MTBE and diisobutylene. Butadiene is a raw material used in the production of a wide variety of synthetic rubbers and polymer resins.

The infrastructure at the 218-acre Texas site includes include pipelines, barges, rail and tank cars.

Butadiene is one of the feedstocks for the production of acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene (ABS).

According to ICIS-MRC Price report, in Asia, the falling prices of feedstocks for ABS production have been pushing prices of material down in the Russian market. LG Chem's import prices for November quantities were as follows for Russian buyers: natural ABS - at USD1,400-1,420/tonne FOB Korea, black ABS - at USD1,610-1,630/tonne FOB Korea, white ABS - at USD1,640-1,660/tonne FOB Korea. December prices may drop by another USD30-50/tonn.
Natural grades of Korean ABS went down to Rb138,000-143,000/tonne CPT Moscow, including VAT, in the domestic market in mid-November, whereas black ABS was offered at Rb156,000-160,000/tonne and white ABS - at Rb158,000-163,000/tonne CPT Moscow , including VAT.

Headquartered in Houston, TPC was acquired in 2012 by private equity groups First Reserve and SK Capital.
MRC

Zhong Tian brought on-stream LDPE unit in Ordos after unscheduled outage

MOSCOW (MRC) -- Zhong Tian He Chuang Energy, a joint venture of Sinopec and China Coal Energy Group, has restarted its low density polyethylene (LDPE) unit following an unplanned outage, according to Apic-online.

A Polymerupdate source in China informed that the company has resumed operations at the unit on November 18, 2019. The unit was shut on November 6, 2019 owing to a technical glitch.

Located at Ordos in Inner Mongolia, China, the LDPE unit has a production capacity of 120,000 mt/year.

As MRC reported earlier, Zhong Tian He Chuang took off-stream LDPE unit in Ordos in early-April, 2019 owing to a technical glitch. Further details on duration of an unplanned outage could not be ascertained. Located at Ordos in Inner Mongolia, China, the LDPE unit has a production capacity of 250,000 mt/year.

According to MRC's ScanPlast report, Russia's September estimated low density polyethylene (LDPE) consumption grew to 47,980 tonnes from 43,390 tonnes a month earlier. PE shipments from Belarus increased significantly, whereas exports decreased. Kazanorgsintez had fully resumed its LDPE production by 24 October after the shutdown for a scheduled turnaround. The estimated LDPE consumption in Russia totalled 429,720 tonnes in the first nine months of 2019, up by 7% year on year. Some producers' LDPE production decreased, whereas imports rose by 16%.

Sinopec Corp. is one of the largest scale integrated energy and chemical company with upstream, midstream and downstream operations. Its principal business includes: exploring, developing, producing and trading crude oil and natural gas; producing, storing, transporting and distributing and marketing petroleum products, petrochemical products, synthetic fiber, fertilizer and other chemical products. Its refining capacity and ethylene capacity rank No.2 and No.4 globally. Sinopec listed in Hong Kong, New York, London and Shanghai in August 2001. Sinopec Group, the parent company of Sinopec Corp., is ranked the 5th in Fortune Global 500 in 2012.
MRC