Saudi's Advanced Petchem to shut Al Jubail PP, PDH units 11 Mar

SINGAPORE (ICIS news)--Saudi Arabia’s Advanced Petrochemical Co plans to shut its 450,000 tonne/year polypropylene (PP) plant in Al-Jubail on 11 March for maintenance, a company source said on Wednesday.

"The plant will remain shut for about three weeks," the source said.

"During the turnaround, there would also be a catalyst change at the PP plant," the source added.

The company’s 450,000 tonne/year propane de-hydrogenation (PDH) unit in Al Jubail would also be shut for the duration of the turnaround at the PP plant, the source added. The PP plant sources its feedstock propylene from this PDH unit.

Supply of PP in the region, which was already tight due to plant outages, would be further restricted in March due to the turnaround, traders said.

Advanced Petrochemical, formerly known as Advanced Polypropylene Co (APPC), is 47%-owned by state-run Saudi Industrial Development Fund, while the remaining 53% is being held by other Saudi Arabian and foreign investors.