Saudi Arabia’s NATPET may run Yanbu PP unit at low rates

08 July 2011 04:28  [Source: ICIS news]

SINGAPORE (ICIS)--Saudi Arabia’s National Petrochemical Industrial (NATPET) may operate its polypropylene (PP) plant in Yanbu at low rates after restarting it on 1 July, sources close to the company said on Friday.

“There may be some technical problems that [are] preventing the ramp up in operations,” the source said.

The PP unit, which has a nameplate capacity of 400,000 tonnes/year, was taken off line on 1 May for 60 days of maintenance and upgrading, the source said.

To avoid a build-up in its inventory, NATPET has decided to gradually ramp up the operating rates at the PP plant, another source close to the company said.

NATPET was not available to confirm the reason for the lower operating rates.

The company will be able to produce new grades of PP, such as high melt flow block copolymers, at the unit after the upgrading work, the source said.

The source added that the company will raise the plant’s production efficiency from 90-92% to 100% of its capacity.

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By: Ong Sheau Ling
+65 6780 4359

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