Naphtachimie Lavera cracker hits 70% capacity low

08 September 2006 16:24  [Source: ICIS news]

LONDON (ICIS news)--Naphtachimie said on Friday that propylene and ethylene lines at its Lavera, France cracker have been running as low as 70% of full capacity owing to technical problems. 

A spokesman for Naphtachimie, a joint venture between Ineos and Total, said that only minor disruptions had been caused and the cracker would resume normal operations within the next few days.

The Lavera cracker has an ethylene capacity of 775,000 tonnes/year and a 540,000 tonnes/year propylene capacity.

Naphtachimie’s unplanned reduction in rates is the latest in a wave of unscheduled outages across Europe which, along with planned cracker shutdowns, will exacerbate the current tight supply situation.

Among unplanned outages were Dow’s Boehlen, Germany cracker, Shell’s Wesseling, Germany crackers and Total’s cracker at Gonfreville in France.

Spot ethylene (C2) and propylene (C3) prices have soared above third quarter contract levels as a result.

Ethylene spot prices were assessed  at $1,400/tonne (around €1,100/tonne) CIF (cost, insurance and freight) Northwest Europe by global chemical market intelligence service ICIS pricing. Third quarter ethylene contract prices were settled at €900/tonne FD (free delivered) NWE.

Propylene spot prices have soared to record highs in excess of €1,000/tonne CIF NWE. Third quarter contracts were settled at €830/tonne FD NWE.

(Additional reporting by Nel Weddle)

By: Mark Watts
+44 20 8652 3214

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