PCS starting up Singapore metathesis unit

19 May 2006 10:06  [Source: ICIS news]

SINGAPORE (ICIS news)--Petrochemical Corp of Singapore (PCS) is in the midst of starting up its new 200,000 tonne/year metathesis unit, a source close to the company said on Friday.

 

The unit, also known as an olefins conversion unit, will be the first such on-purpose propylene unit in Southeast Asia and is starting up ahead of the planned turnaround for PCS’s No 2 cracker.

 

The No 2 cracker, with a capacity of 615,000 tonne/year ethylene and 350,000 tonne/year propylene, will be shut for 35 days starting end July.

 

However the current tight supply and high prices of ethylene, one of the feedstocks for the olefins conversion unit, could affect the operating rates of the metathesis unit, said the source.

 

PCS’s metathesis unit will be Asia’s largest, and will be the fifth to come on stream since the first in Japan two years ago.

 

Downstream polymers producer The Polyolefin Company (TPC) will be the main beneficiary of the additional propylene capacity as it will convert its 150,000 tonne/year linear low-density polyethylene (lldPE) line into a 200,000 tonne/year polypropylene (PP) line.  TPC will shut down its PE and PP lines in mid-July for around 30 days in conjunction with the cracker shutdown.

 

PCS is a joint venture company between oil major Shell (50%) and Japan-Singapore Petrochemicals (50%), in which Sumitomo Chemicals is a major shareholder. 

 

TPC is jointly owned by Nihon Singapore Polyolefin (70%) and Shell Eastern Petroleum (30%). PCS’s No 1 cracker has an ethylene capacity of 465,000 tonne/year and propylene capacity of 270,000 tonne/year. Both crackers are located on Jurong Island in Singapore.

By: Steve Tan
+65 6780 4359

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