EPCA ‘12: Egypt PP supply shifted from OPC to EPPC in 2012 - trader

07 October 2012 14:54  [Source: ICIS news]

BUDAPEST (ICIS)--Egypt’s chief source of polypropylene (PP) supply has shifted from Oriental Petrochemicals Co (OPC) to Egyptian Propylene and Polypropylene Co (EPPC) over the past year, a source trading in the country said on Sunday.

PP production at OPC has been "put on hold" for almost a year now after the company stopped receiving propylene from Libya, the source noted on the sidelines of the 46th annual European Petrochemical Association (EPCA) meeting in Budapest, Hungary.

"By the time OPC was out, EPPC was there," the source said.

EPPC's 350,000 tonne/year PP plant at Port Said came on stream in November 2010, according to ICIS plants and projects. The site has easy access to propane-based propylene sourced from local suppliers, the source said. 

However, PP plant operations at the site became stable only in early 2011, when its feedstock instability was resolved, the source added.

"EPPC started production early 2011 with [homopolymer PP] raffia, fibre, bopp [biaxially oriented polypropylene]. The plant capacity [for PP] is now up to 400,000 tonnes/year," added the source.

Last week, a trader visiting Egypt said EPPC’s proximity to refineries meant it had a feedstock advantage over OPC – which had been importing its propylene from Libya.

OPC has a PP production capacity of 160,000 tonne/year at Sokhna, according to ICIS plants and projects.

The company could not be immediately reached for comment.

EPPC is a 50:50 joint venture between OPC and Egyptian Petrochemicals Holding Company (EChem), according to the ICIS plants and projects database.

The annual EPCA meeting runs from 6-10 October.

By: Cuckoo James
+44 (0) 208 652 3214

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