China posts petchem import growth across in July

27 August 2008 07:06  [Source: ICIS news]

SINGAPORE (ICIS news)--China has reported a growth in almost all petrochemical imports during July as players scrambled to stock up on inventories on fears of supply scarcity during the August Beijing Olympics, according to statistics released by China Customs on Tuesday.

 

Polymer imports grew across the board, with exception to slight dips in polystyrene (PS) and acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene (ABS), in line with the increase in exports from its largest petrochemical trading partner, South Korea.

 

High density polyethylene (HDPE) posted a remarkable 55% growth to 254,372 tonnes, year on year.

 

South Korean polyethylene (PE) and HDPE cargoes going into China rose more than 29% to 60,340 tonnes as compared to 46,614 tonnes in July 2007, according to statistics from the Korean International Trade Association (KITA).

 

Import data for the aromatics chain, however, showed mixed results as benzene and paraxylene (PX) showed growth of 82% and 22% respectively while toluene dipped 29% to 24,794 tonnes against 34,822 tonnes in the year-earlier period.

 

Figures barely moved in intermediates, although acrylonitrile (ACN), which showed a 33% dip in volumes to 26,377 tonnes, was an exception.

 

Meanwhile, methanol imports continued to rise for the third consecutive month as supply conditions remained tight on the chemical’s increasing popularity in fuel blending applications.

 

Product	Period	Import (tonnes)	Export (tonnes)
Naphtha	July 2008	78,753 (39%)	105,868 (52%)
	July 2007	56,741	69,637
Olefins
Product	Period	Import (tonnes)	Export (tonnes)
Ethylene	July 2008	65,898 (47%)	1 (NA)
	July 2007	44,962	0
Propylene	July 2008	99,703 (36%)	4 (-95%)
	July 2007	73,111	76
Butadiene	July 2008	14,435 (12%)	1,477 (-20%)
	July 2007	12,898	1,838
Polymers
Product	Period	Import (tonnes)	Export (tonnes)
hdPE	July 2008	254,372 (55%)	4,181 (%)
	July 2007	164,258	4,197
ldPE	July 2008	85,396 (39%)	1,661 (-1%)
	July 2007	61,583	1,678
lldPE	July 2008	157,477 (15%)	491 (-9%)
	July 2007	136,408	539
PP	July 2008	279,495 (8%)	3,354 (23%)
	July 2007	259,975	2,719
PVC	July 2008	91,249 (-16%)	69,513 (43%)
	July 2007	108,802	48,763
PS	July 2008	105,304 (-8%)	25,281 (-25%)
	July 2007	114,436	33,754
ABS	July 2008	177,748 (-10%)	3,632 (40%)
	July 2007	197,979	2,598
PC	July 2008	115,718 (34%)	31,870 (8%)
	July 2007	86,228	29,587
Aromatics
Product	Period	Import (tonnes)	Export (tonnes)
Benzene	July 2008	27,510 (82%)	7,786 (34%)
	July 2007	15,131	5,793
Toluene	July 2008	24,794 (-29%)	283 (233%)
	July 2007	34,822	85
MX	July 2008	77 (-40%)	2 (-80%)
	July 2007	129	10
PX	July 2008	327,168 (22%)	29,568 (45%)
	July 2007	268,452	20,411
Intermediates
Product	Period	Import (tonnes)	Export (tonnes)
SM	July 2008	272,537 (1%)	5 (-58%)
	July 2007	269,152	12
PTA	July 2008	398,808 (-8%)	5,687 (25750%)
	July 2007	432,885	22
MEG	July 2008	447,527 (15%)	50 (-58%)
	July 2007	390,682	119
ACN	July 2008	26,377 (-33%)	(NA)
	July 2007	39,145	0
Caprolactam	July 2008	40,371 (-3%)	0 (-100%)
	July 2007	41,768	2
Phenol	July 2008	37,236 (%)	31 (417%)
	July 2007	37,245	6
Others
Product	Period	Import (tonnes)	Export (tonnes)
Methanol	July 2008	180,748 (77%)	2,996 (-73%)
	July 2007	101,882	11009
Acetone	July 2008	32,520 (-5%)	11 (-80%)
	July 2007	34,092	54
BPA	July 2008	45,181 (45%)	2 (-99%)
	July 2007	31,082	211
IPA	July 2008	10,474 (-5%)	12 (-88%)
	July 2007	10,970	102
MEK	July 2008	5,165 (-24%)	19 (-99%)
	July 2007	6,839	2,007
Ethanol	July 2008	9 (50%)	12,731 (36%)
	July 2007	6	9342
Base oil	July 2008	118,321 (27%)	7,611 (8%)
	July 2007	93,093	7,068

Source: China Customs

 

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