BASF declares 'force majeure' on ethylene following No 2 Ludwigshafen cracker outage

05 August 2004 16:33  [Source: ICIS news]

LONDON (CNI)--BASF on Thursday declared force majeure on supplies of ethylene following the forced closure yesterday of its Number 2 steam cracker at Ludwigshafen, Germany.

The German chemicals group said the cracker, which has compressor problems, is expected to be out of action for about 10 days.

A spokeswoman for BASF told CNI that ethylene customers supplied from its Ludwigshafen and Antwerp, Belgium crackers, which are operated as part of one 'Verbund', would be restricted to 90% of nominated quantities for August.

The supply restriction, which is for ethylene only, will be applied equally to internal and external customers, the BASF spokeswoman stressed.

BASF's Number 2 cracker at Ludwigshafen has a capacity for about 410 00 tonne/year of ethylene and 230 000 tonne/year of propylene. The Number 1 cracker, which has an ethylene capacity of 210 000 tonne/year and a propylene capacity of 140 000 tonne, is operating normally, according to BASF.

By: Neil Sinclair
+44 20 8652 3214

For the latest chemical news, data and analysis that directly impacts your business sign up for a free trial to ICIS news - the breaking online news service for the global chemical industry.

Get the facts and analysis behind the headlines from our market leading weekly magazine: sign up to a free trial to ICIS Chemical Business.

Printer Friendly