Celanese turns around Singapore acetic acid unit

16 August 2007 07:22  [Source: ICIS news]

SINGAPORE (ICIS news)--Global acetyls producer Celanese has shut its 500,000 tonne/year acetic acid plant in Pulau Sakra, Singapore, for a 22-day turnaround and expects to resume operations on 5 September, sources close to the company said on Thursday.

“The plant will be shut from 15 August to 5 September as scheduled,” the southeast Asia-based sources said, adding that the turnaround was due to gas supply issues.

The shutdown of the Singapore unit precedes the turnaround of Celanese’s 600,000 tonne/year plant in Nanjing, China, in late August, and BP Petronas Acetyl’s Kerteh shutdown in October.

The turnarounds, however, are not expected to have any upward pressure on spot prices in this region following the end of the heavy turnaround season in Asia and the start-up of the Clear Lake plant in early August, according to market players.

“If after observation, the start-up of the Clear Lake plant is successful, then spot prices are expected to dip further,” one of the sources said, adding that the current perception was for a more relaxed supply situation.

By: Helen Lee
+65 6780 4359

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