Arya Sasol begins trial production at LDPE plant

07 April 2008 11:03  [Source: ICIS news]

SINGAPORE (ICIS news)--Arya Sasol has begun trial production at its new 300,000 low density polyethylene (LDPE) plant in Assaluyeh, Iran, and expects to achieve commercial production in 2-3 weeks, a source close to the company said on Monday.

 

Exports of LDPE would begin soon after, the source added.

  

“The plant will run at 50-60% for several months,” the source said. “Sometimes it takes up to a year to achieve normal output.”

 

The start up of the plant, originally scheduled for September 2007, was deferred several times, due to a shortage of technical personnel.

 

The plant is sourcing ethylene feedstock from Arya Sasol’s 1m tonne/year cracker, also known as Olefins No 9, which achieved full-spec production in December.

 

The cracker will also feed a 300,000 tonne/year high density PE/medium density PE plant at the same site which was expected to start up by June, a second source said.

 

The start up of the LDPE plant has come at a time when supply of the product in all regions is extremely tight, with prices surging to above $1,900/tonne CFR (cost and freight) in the Middle East on Friday, up $50/tonne from a month earlier, according to global chemical market intelligence service ICIS pricing.

 

Arya Sasol is a joint venture of National Petrochemical Co (NPC) and South African chemicals giant Sasol. 

By: Prema Viswanathan
+65 6780 4359

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