Al-Jubail acetic acid, VAM plants back up after power outage

25 January 2012 11:12  [Source: ICIS news]

SINGAPORE (ICIS)--International Acetyl Company (IAC)’s acetic acid plant as well as the adjoining International Vinyl Acetate Company (IVC) vinyl acetate monomer (VAM) plant, are back to operating at normal rates following a power outage at the Jubail Industrial City in Saudi Arabia, a source close to the company said on Wednesday.

“The plants were only affected for a while on 19 January which resulted in a marginal decrease in operating rates,” the source said, adding that there was no major impact on the acetic acid and VAM markets.

“We are worried only if there was a long outage but as of now, the plants are working as scheduled,” he added.

The 460,000 tonne/year acetic acid plant and the 330,000 tonne/year VAM plant are understood to be operating at around 95% capacity currently, according to the source.

The acetic acid plant is slated for a routine maintenance shutdown in April. 

Major acetic acid producers in Asia include US-based Celanese, UK’s BP, China’s Jiangsu Sopo, Shanghai Wujing, Yankuang Cathay Coal Chemicals, Henan ShunDa Chemical and Hebei Chung Shun Chemical, Taiwan’s Chang Chun Petrochemicals and CPDC, India’s GNFC and Iran’s Fanavaran Petrochemical.

Acetic acid is an important chemical reagent and industrial chemical.

Vinyl acetate is the precursor to polyvinyl acetate, an important polymer in industry.

For more on acetic acid and VAM visit ICIS chemical intelligence

By: Helen Lee
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