YPC plans 40-day shutdown of aroms complex

05 March 2008 05:53 [Source: ICIS news]

SHANGHAI (ICIS news)--China-based Yangzi Petrochemical (YPC) planned to shut down its aromatics complex for a 40 day-scheduled maintenance from 25 March, a company official said on Wednesday.

The Sinopec-subsidiary’s aromatics complex produces 390,000tonne/year benzene and 550,000tonne/year paraxylene (PX).

Benzene inventories in YPC had decreased due to a rise in end-user demand as news of the turnaround spread in the market towards the end of February, a buyer said.

Meanwhile, in line with the recent uptrend in overseas markets, YPC raised it benzene prices by yuan (CNY) 100/tonne ($14.08/tonne) to CNY9,000/tonne ex-works (EXW) east China, traders said.

Benzene was selling at CNY8,900-9,000/tonne ex-tank, east China, up CNY150/tonne from last Friday, they added.

YPC's selective toluene disproportionation (STDP) unit, which produces 100,000 tonnes/year benzene and 250,000tonnes/year PX, will also be closed for maintenance during the same period, the company official added.

($1=CNY7.10)

Judith Wang contributed to this article.

By: Lynn Huang
+65 6780 4359

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