Taiwan’s FCFC delays SM trials to Feb ‘07

12 December 2006 07:06  [Source: ICIS news]

SINGAPORE (ICIS news)--Formosa Chemicals and Fibre Corp (FCFC) has pushed back trial runs at its new styrene monomer (SM) unit to February 2007 due to benzene feedstock shortage, a company source said on Tuesday.

The Taiwanese aromatics major bought benzene feedstock for the 600,000 tonne/year unit in Mailiao which was scheduled for commissioning in January, he said.

But it had to use the benzene for its existing SM units after a fire broke out at its No 2 aromatics unit on Friday, he added.

According to industry estimates, the No 2 aromatics plant produces 505,000 tonnes/year of benzene, 490,000 tonnes/year of toluene and 410,000 tonnes/year of MX. It was expected to be shut for one month.

FCFC would continue to operate its existing SM units, with capacities of 250,000 tonnes/year and 350,000 tonnes/year, using leftover benzene in the pipeline and cargoes bought earlier for the trial runs.

By: Clive Ong
+65 6780 4359

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