JAPAN DISASTER: Maruzen Petrochemical eyes April restart for cracker

30 March 2011 08:31  [Source: ICIS news]

SINGAPORE (ICIS)--Japan’s Maruzen Petrochemical is planning to restart operations at the 520,000 tonne/year ethylene cracker in Chiba - shut following the 11 March earthquake and tsunami - in the first half of April, a company official said on Wednesday.

“The restart date is not fixed yet, but maybe, very maybe, it could be 10 April,” he said, without elaborating.

The cracker had been shut since the deadly earthquake and tsunami hit Japan on 11 March, forcing the shutdown of many petrochemcial plants and refineries.

The official said the operating rates at the Maruzen cracker for the month of March was resultantly reduced to 40% of capacity, whereas Keiyo Ethylene’s 740,000 tonne/year cracker in Chiba averaged 80-90% operating rates for the month of March.

Maruzen Petrochemical holds a 55% stake in Keiyo Ethylene.

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By: Helen Lee
+65 6780 4359

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