MOSCOW (MRC) -- Turkey's Izmir refinery in Aliaga has suspended production as of May 5, as a result of the "negative impact of the global COVID-19 outbreak on petroleum products demand" and variable commercial conditions in domestic and international markets, reported S&P Global with reference to owner Tupras's statement.
Production at the Izmir refinery, which accounts for 40% of the company's crude processing capacity, was gradually ramped down before being halted completely on May 5.
Tupras said it expected to restart production on July 1.
Meanwhile, Socar is maintaining full production levels at its STAR refinery at Aliaga in Turkey, although with an altered product portfolio.
Turkish demand for diesel during the first 26 days of April declined sharply due to the coronavirus pandemic, energy ministry data showed. The weekly published data showed diesel demand for the period was 829 million liters, down 34% from the same period in 2019. Gasoline demand over the same period was 98 million liters, down 47%.
As MRC informed earlier, SOCAR Polymer plans to reach the design load for high density polyethylene (HDPE) plant no earlier than 2023. In 2020, SOCAR Polymer is expected to produce 97,400 tonnes of HDPE and 110,000 tonnes of polypropylene (PP). In 2023, the company is expected to be able to reach its design targets and produce 120,000 tonnes of polyethylene (PE) and 170,000 tonnes of PP. Thus, the production of HDPE relative to 2019 will grow by 2.5 times, PP - by 54%.
Ethylene and propylene are feedstocks for producing PE and PP.
According to MRC's ScanPlast report, Russia's estimated PE consumption totalled 383,760 tonnes in the first two month of 2020, up by 14% year on year. High density polyethylene (HDPE) and linear low density polyethylene (LLDPE) shipments increased due to the increased capacity utilisation at ZapSibNeftekhim. At the same time, PP shipments to the Russian market were 192,760 tonnes in January-February 2020, down by 6% year on year. Homopolymer PP accounted for the main decrease in imports.
MRC