Czech firm Unipetrol declares force majeure on ammonia and urea

17 January 2011 11:06  [Source: ICIS news]

PRAGUE (ICIS)--Unipetrol has declared force majeure (FM) on ammonia and urea following a leakage at an installation which is taking time to resolve, the Czech refinery and petrochemical group said on Monday.

The installation at Litivinov in the north of the Czech Republic has a capacity of 350,000 tonnes/year for ammonia and 200,000 tonnes/year for urea, Unipetrol said.

Because of the incident, ammonia is only running at 50% of capacity, while urea is at 60%, the company added.

"Unipetrol announces that due to a continuation of circumstances, which occurred on 30 December 2010, ie an inner leakage of an output pipeline of the reactor at the ammonia production facility, subsidiary Unipetrol RPA announces a force majeure for ammonia and urea customers… as it is unable to duly fulfil its obligations arising from contractual relationships with its business partners," the company said in a statement.

"Continuation of difficulties at the ammonia installation is estimated to last for at least an additional two weeks if no additional defects are discovered," it added.

The difficulties at the ammonia production facility would have a negligible impact on other petrochemical installations, Unipetrol said.

To discuss issues facing the chemical industry go to ICIS connect

By: Will Conroy
+44 20 8652 3214

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