Taiwan's FCFC eyes 10 Oct restart for Mailiao No 1 aromatics unit

23 August 2011 12:51  [Source: ICIS news]

SINGAPORE (ICIS)--Taiwan’s Formosa Chemicals and Fiber Corp (FCFC) is eyeing a 10 October restart for its No 1 aromatics unit in Mailiao, a company source said on Tuesday.

“Inspections will be carried out in September and if everything goes smoothly, we will restart in October,” he said.

The company source was referring to a government-ordered “rotational closure” of the entire Mailiao refinery and petrochemical complex to thoroughly review safety standards.

FCFC’s No1 aromatics unit in Mailiao has been shut since May following a fire that broke out at its refinery complex.

“The No 2 aromatics unit will not be shut any time this year as the government has given us a one-year timeline to carry out the rotational closure. We will coincide the mandated shutdown with a scheduled turnaround for the No 2 unit in 2012,” the company source added.

FCFC is on track to shut its No 3 aromatics unit in Mailiao in October for a scheduled 45-day maintenance and debottlenecking, the company source said.

(In tonnes per annum)	Aromatics No 1	Aromatics No 2	Aromatics No 3
Benzene	150,000	470,000	470,000
Paraxylene	270,000	580,000	870,000
Mixed xylenes (isomer)	100,000	100,000	100,000
Orthoxylene	135,000	190,000	150,000

 

By: Bohan Loh
+65 6780 4359

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