UpdateYNCC advances furnace repair at 2 crackers

19 September 2008 04:38  [Source: ICIS news]

(Updates throughout)

SINGAPORE (ICIS news)--Yeochun Naphtha Cracking Center (YNCC) plans to bring forward furnace repairs at two of its three crackers in Yeocheon due to weak market conditions, a company source said on Friday.

“We have changed the schedule for the furnace repairs because of the bearish market,” the source said, adding that South Korea’s largest cracker operator had initially slated the repair schedule for November-December.

One out of eight furnaces at the 400,000 tonne/year No 3 cracker will be repaired from next week until mid-October. Maintenance works at one out of 12 furnaces at the 850,000 tonne/year No 1 cracker would follow from mid-October until early November.

The two crackers would run at a rate of 90-95% during this period, representing a slight adjustment from the previous output of 95%. There will be no production adjustments at the 550,000 tonne/year No 2 cracker, which will remain at around 95%, he added.

The announcement comes amid news that YNCC’s domestic customers in the derivative polyethylene (PE) sector were mulling production cuts and shutdowns due to poor demand.

Hanwha Chemical plans to shut down its linear low density polyethylene (LLDPE) plants in Yeosu in October for scheduled turnarounds while Daelim Industrial is considering the option of cutting production at its No 1 and No 2 plants in Yeosu by the end of September due to weak demand.

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By: Peh Soo Hwee
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