Reactor issues halt BASF Antwerp styrene unit

21 April 2008 12:02  [Source: ICIS news]

LONDON (ICIS news)--BASF has halted styrene production at one of its two Antwerp production units due to issues with a reactor, a company source said on Monday.

 

“We have stopped our Antwerp reactor for what will be at least a two-week shutdown,” the source said.  “The reactor had to be stopped and we will change the catalyst during the outage.”

 

BASF had only returned the styrene production unit to full production in early April after a three-month outage which had begun on 17 December, and had been scheduled to go into a planned maintenance turnaround in May. 

 

The source said that the maintenance would now be brought forward to coincide with the latest outage.

 

BASF’s Antwerp facility has a total capacity of 500,000 tonnes/year of styrene production, according to ICIS plants and projects.

 

Players in the spot market reported a previously limp market as firming on the announcement and rumours that a southern European styrene producer was also experiencing difficulties.

 

Bids were talked at $1,435/tonne (€904/tonne) FOB (free on board) Rotterdam for April and $1,445/tonne FOB Rotterdam for May, up $10/tonne from the previous Friday’s close, against no firm offers.

 

($1 = €0.63)

 

For more on styrene visit ICIS chemical intelligence

By: Peter Salisbury
+44 20 8652 3214

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