Dow Chemical begins Texas restarts after Ike

18 September 2008 15:51  [Source: ICIS news]

TORONTO (ICIS news)--Dow Chemical has begun start-up operations at its plants along the Texas Gulf coast after shutdowns and disruptions due to Hurricane Ike, it said on Thursday.

 

Restarts could take several weeks to complete as raw material availability and logistics were expected to be a challenge to the sites and to the industry throughout the region, Dow said.

 

“Dow’s No 1 priority remains the safety of its personnel and the communities in which it operates as it works to return to normal operations,” it said.

 

Ike slammed into the Texas coast late last Friday, disrupting chemical operations along much of the region.

 

However, Dow safely shut down its Texas sites at Freeport, Clear Lake and LaPorte, as well as the Union Carbide facilities in Texas City and Seadrift, before Hurricane Ike made landfall, the company said.  

 

Dow’s site in Plaquemine, Louisiana and Union Carbide’s St Charles operations in Hahnville, Louisiana, which were impacted by Hurricane Gustav, were not directly affected by Hurricane Ike and continued with their recovery and start-up, it said.

 

Dow also announced that its Dow Chemical Company Foundation would donate $700,000 (€490,000) to help local communities recover from the damage caused by Ike.

 

($1 = €0.70)

 

For more on Dow's US facilities visit ICIS plants and projects

To discuss issues facing the chemical industry go to ICIS connect

By: Stefan Baumgarten
+1 713 525 2653

For the latest chemical news, data and analysis that directly impacts your business sign up for a free trial to ICIS news - the breaking online news service for the global chemical industry.

Get the facts and analysis behind the headlines from our market leading weekly magazine: sign up to a free trial to ICIS Chemical Business.

Printer Friendly