PC exports to Russia via Belarus up by 72% in Jan-Oct 2019

MOSCOW (MRC) -- Exports of polycarbonate (PC) from Belarus grew over the first ten months of 2019 to 4,500 tonnes, up by 72% year on year, according to MRC's DataScope report.

This figure was at 2,600 tonnes in January-October 2018.

Lotte and Sabic's PC is exported via Belarus.

Shipments of material to Russia accounted for 95% (4,300 tonnes) of the total exports in January-October 2019 versus the share of 98% (2,600 tonnes) a year earlier.

However, October PC exports through the Republic of Belarus increased significantly from September to 121 tonnes from 70 tonnes. PC granules imports were 180 tonnes last October.

The share of PC exports to Russia through Belarus rose in October by 19% year on year to 97%.

MRC

MOSCOW (MRC) -- Overall imports of PC granules to Russia (excluding shipments from Belarus) rose in the first eleven months of 2019 almost by 2 times year on year to 18,500 tonnes, according to MRC's DataScope report.

Imports of material into the country were 9,900 tonnes in January-November 2018.

At the same time, imports of material, excluding Belarusian deliveries, were 2,300 tonnes last month versus 1,100 tonnes in November 2018. Imports of material into the country reached 2,000 tonnes in October 2019.

Extrusion grade PC accounted for the greatest increase in imports. These grades accounted for 61% of the total imports of material into the Russian Federation (11,200 tonnes).

Covestro (with the share of 57%) and Sabic Innovative Plastics (32%) are the main import suppliers of PC granules. Both producers significantly increased their shipments in the first eleven months of 2019. Thus, imports of Covestro's material grew more that two-fold: from 4,700 tonnes (47% of the total imports) in January-November 2018 to 10,600 tonnes (57% of the total imports). Sabic's shipments also rose significantly - to 5,900 tonnes from 2,200 tonnes (excluding Belarusian imports) a year earlier.

MRC

MOSCOW (MRC) -- Thailand’s PTT Global Chemical Public Co Ltd ((PTTGC) ) is planning to take off-stream its low density polyethylene (LDPE) plant in Map Ta Phut in the first quarter of 2020, reported CommoPlast.

Thus, this plant is expected to be shut in early February, 2020. The planned maintenance is likely to remain in force for around 15 days.

Located at Map Ta Phut in Thailand, the LDPE plant has a capacity of 400,000 mt/year.

As MRC informed before, the company also plans to shut if cracker No. 1 for a turnaround in Q1 2020. This cracker is expected to be taken off-line in late January 2020. The planned maintenance is likely to remain in force for around 40 days. Located at Map Ta Phut in Thailand, the cracker has an ethylene production capacity of 515,000 mt/year and a propylene production capacity of 310,000 mt/year.

According to MRC's ScanPlast report, Russia's October estimated LDPE consumption grew to 54,650 tonnes from 47,980 tonnes a month earlier. Local producers increased significantly their polyethylene (PE) shipments partially due to the reduction in exports. The estimated LDPE consumption in Russia totalled 484,360 tonnes in the first ten months of 2019, up by 9% year on year. Some producers' LDPE exports decreased, whereas imports rose by 19%.

PTT Global Chemical is a leading player in the petrochemical industry and owns several petrochemical facilities with a combined capacity of 8.45 million tonnes a year.
MRC

MOSCOW (MRC) -- Thailand’s PTT Global Chemical Public Co Ltd still has plans to shut two crackers at its petrochemical complex in Map Ta Phut in January 2020, according to CommoPlast.

The company might take two of its naphtha/mixed feed crackers offline for 35-40 days while there are no planned maintenances at other cracker units. The number 1 and number 2 cracker have a combined capacity of 915,000 tons of ethylene per annum.

Thus, cracker No. 1 with a capacity of 515,000 tonnes of ethylene and 310,000 tonnes of propylene per year is scheduled to be shut for 40-day maintenance in late January, 2020, whereas cracker No. 2 with a capacity of 400,000 tonnes of ethylene and 50,000 tonnes of propylene per year is to be taken off-steam for 35-day turnaround in mid-January, 2020.

As MRC wrote earlier, in 2018, PTTGC conducted a 40-day turnaround at its No. 1 cracker in Map Ta Phut from early September.

Ethylene and propylene are feedstocks for producing polyethylene (PE) and polypropylene (PP).

According to MRC's ScanPlast report, Russia's estimated PE consumption totalled 1,724,670 tonnes in the first ten months of 2019, up by 7% year on year. Shipments of all PE grades increased. The estimated PP consumption in the Russian market in January-October 2019 totalled 1,066,520 tonnes, up by 7% year on year. Supply of block copolymers of propylene (PP block copolymer) and homopolymer of propylene (homopolymer PP) increased, demand for statistical copolymers (PP random copolymer) decreased.

PTT Global Chemical is a leading player in the petrochemical industry and owns several petrochemical facilities with a combined capacity of 8.45 million tonnes a year.
MRC

MOSCOW (MRC) -- Formosa Plastics will not start up its new 1.5 million mt/year cracker and 400,000 mt/year low-density polyethylene plant in Texas by year-end as planned earlier, reported S&P Global with reference to a spokesman's statement Friday.

"We encountered some unexpected delays," spokesman Fred Neske said in an email. "Neither the LDPE nor the cracker plant will be running by the end of the year."

He said the company did not have an estimate of when the plants at Formosa's Point Comfort, Texas, complex would come online. A new 400,000 mt/year high density and linear low-density PE plant at Point Comfort started up in August.

As MRC informed before, Formosa Plastics Corp. Louisiana, a subsidiary of Formosa Plastics Corp. USA, is investing USD332 million to expand its production of polyvinyl chloride (PVC) resin and add production equipment in two other units at the company’s industrial manufacturing site in Baton Rouge, La., on the east bank of the Mississippi River. The project will include installation of new machinery and equipment for the expansion of the PVC resin production unit, expected to result in a 20% increase in production capacity and sales; installation of new machinery and equipment for a halogenated acid production unit for internal use in the production of vinyl chloride monomer; and installation of utilities equipment needed for operations, the Louisiana Economic Development (LED) said. Launch of the new operations is scheduled for late 2021 or early 2022.

Ethylene and propylene are feedstocks for producing polyethylene (PE) and polypropylene (PP).

According to MRC's ScanPlast report, Russia's estimated PE consumption totalled 1,724,670 tonnes in the first ten months of 2019, up by 7% year on year. Shipments of all PE grades increased. The estimated PP consumption in the Russian market in January-October 2019 totalled 1,066,520 tonnes, up by 7% year on year. Supply of block copolymers of propylene (PP block copolymer) and homopolymer of propylene (homopolymer PP) increased, demand for statistical copolymers (PP random copolymer) decreased.

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).
MRC