Sasol is restarting South Africa MEK plant after turnaround

06 October 2011 23:27  [Source: ICIS news]

HOUSTON (ICIS)--Sasol is restarting its methyl ethyl ketone (MEK) plant in Secunda, South Africa, after a month-long turnaround, a company source said on Thursday.

The energy and petrochemicals company took the 65,000 tonne/year plant down earlier in September.

The source provided no further details about the restart or the exact nature of the maintenance performed but said customers were supplied from inventory during the shutdown.

No supply shortages to Sasol customers or to the broader market were heard.

Slackening demand and ample supply are pressuring US MEK prices downward. Current US MEK contract prices are $1.34-1.38/lb ($2,954-3,042/tonne, €2,216-2,282/tonne), as assessed by ICIS.

Sasol supplies MEK to the US. Other US MEK suppliers include Shell Chemicals and ExxonMobil.

($1 = €0.75)

For more on MEK, visit ICIS chemical intelligence

By: Larry Terry
1 713 525 2653

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