Equate delays start-up of expanded PE capacity

07 October 2008 10:44  [Source: ICIS news]

SINGAPORE (ICIS news)--Equate Petrochemical Co has further delayed the start-up of expanded polyethylene (PE) capacity at its facility in Shuaiba, Kuwait, by three months to December 2008, a source close to the company said on Tuesday.

 

"The delay is due to a shortage of project engineers and contractors," the source said.

 

Company officials were not available for comment.

 

Equate was increasing the capacity of its existing 550,000 tonne/year high density PE (HDPE)/linear low density PE (LLDPE) swing plant - which was currently operating as normal - by 50%, it said.

 

This is the second time the company has delayed the expansion.

 

The PE expansion, and the new Olefins II project, which includes an 850,000 tonne/year ethane cracker, were earlier scheduled to come on stream in August. 

 

However, the new 600,000 tonne/year monoethylene glycol (MEG) plant downstream of the Olefins II cracker, started up in August.

 

Equate is a joint venture between Kuwait’s Petrochemical Industries Co (PIC) and Dow Chemical. 

 

For more on ethylene, PE and MEG visit ICIS chemical intelligence

Please visit the complete ICIS plants and projects database

 

By: Prema Viswanathan
+65 6780 4359

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