Thailand's BST may extend BD plant shutdown

02 September 2008 08:50  [Source: ICIS news]

SINGAPORE (ICIS news)--Thailand butadiene (BD) producer, Bangkok Synthetics Co (BST), may keep its 140,000 tonne/year BD extraction unit closed for an extended period due to technical hiccups, a company source said on Tuesday.

 

The BD unit was expected to restart on Wednesday, 3 September, after shutting down last week due to operational problems.

 

“However, it is now under investigation for some technical issues and we are not sure when it will restart,” the source added.

 

BST supplies BD to its customers in Southeast Asia, including its own downstream styrene butadiene rubber (SBR) and butadiene rubber (BR) plants in Thailand.

 

The uncertainty of how long BST will be offline may help to shore up the BD spot price which has been under downward pressure due to mounting resistance from the derivative SBR and BR producers.

 

BD producers are holding out for at least $3,000/tonne CFR (cost and freight) Asia against buyers asking for less than $2,800/tonne.

 

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By: Helen Yan
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