Japan's Maruzen plans maximum runs at naphtha cracker in Feb

SINGAPORE (ICIS news)--Japan’s Maruzen Petrochemical plans to operate its 520,000 tonne/year naphtha cracker at Chiba at full capacity in February, a company source said on Friday.

The company had been operating its cracker at full capacity this month, the source said.

"It’s too early to decide on the run rates for March," the source said.

The firm had no plans for maintenance works at the naphtha cracker this year, the source added.

Asian naphtha prices had fallen from recent highs due to weaker crude, with the inter-month spread between first-half March and second-half March open spec contract easing to $6/tonne (€4.3/tonne) in backwardation from $8/tonne last week, according to global chemical market intelligence service ICIS pricing.

($1 = €0.72)