China October imports of most petrochemicals fall from September

26 November 2012 04:21  [Source: ICIS news]

SINGAPORE (ICIS)--China’s import volumes of most petrochemical products in October decreased compared with the previous month, with significant declines seen in acetone, polysilicon and styrene monomer (SM), official data showed on Monday.

Acetone imports fell by 35% month on month to 37,821 tonnes, while China took in 34% less polysilicon at 5,738 tonnes from overseas, and cut its SM imports last month by 32% to 185,733 tonnes, data from China Customs showed. (Please see table below)

Domestic consumption of petrochemicals in China has been in doldrums amid the slowing global economy that is taking a toll on the country’s growth driver – exports.

China imported 134,411 tonnes of ethylene in October, a 9% drop from September but up 32% year on year, the data showed.

Among the petrochemical products that registered higher import volumes in October include benzene, methyl ethyl ketone (MEK) and butadiene (BD).

Benzene imports grew 91% month on month to 76,304 tonnes, while MEK volumes were up 69% to 178 tonnes and BD totalled 39,115 tonnes, up 46% from September, the data showed.

Imports of methanol also registered a 28% month-on-month increase to 472,959 tonnes, according to the data.

China petrochemical trade in October 2012

Oct-12	IMPORTS			EXPORTS
Product	Import (tonnes)	YoY growth (%)	MoM growth (%)	Export (tonnes)	YoY growth (%)	MoM growth (%)
Naphtha	224,426	5%	-11%	0	-14%	-
Ethylene	134,411	32%	-9%	1	-100%	-51%
Propylene	264,662	54%	17%	0	-	-100%
Butadiene	39,115	243%	46%	0	-100%	-100%
HDPE	402,013	51%	0%	8,261	4%	-25%
LDPE	146,365	19%	-8%	5,025	3%	-12%
LLDPE	181,429	-14%	-17%	4,884	50%	-18%
PP	314,509	14%	-19%	9,026	-6%	-8%
PVC	99,969	-9%	-3%	51,046	264%	-24%
EPS	4,386	-35%	-10%	16,582	-29%	-32%
Benzene	76,304	1836%	91%	8,822	208%	591%
Toluene	42,247	29%	-17%	47	-69%	-55%
PX	512,018	24%	-13%	52,966	82%	164%
SM	185,733	-42%	-32%	0	-100%	-100%
PTA	231,610	-41%	-29%	0	-	-100%
MEG	627,733	12%	-9%	143	-39%	-96%
ACN	58,481	33%	-1%	0	-	-
Caprolactam	49,400	2%	-17%	8	-	-98%
Phenol	40,845	-40%	-13%	716	221%	-47%
Methanol	472,959	-12%	28%	144	-75%	29%
Acetone	37,821	-43%	-35%	74	34%	340%
BPA	45,520	-12%	-15%	3	-99%	42757%
IPA	2,972	-78%	-26%	175	1068%	-69%
MEK	178	-93%	69%	10,081	138%	29%
Base oil	150,718	18%	-6%	1,245	-89%	-30%
MMA	23,124	162%	-28%	3,803	29%	-14%
PMMA	19,696	37%	-8%	2,178	298%	12%
GAA	3,186	-23%	-28%	4,273	15%	17%
butyl-A	4,179	19%	38%	922	66%	13%
2EHA	2,114	7%	-16%	884	439%	656%
2-EH	38,020	4%	24%	339	53%	13%
NBA	40,844	31%	-22%	1	-96%	-99%
PA	9,631	24%	-18%	13	-79%	-82%
DOP	7,424	156%	-25%	290	-77%	-56%
Polysilicon	5,738	26%	-34%	97	25%	1%
Source: China Customs

Read John Richardson and Malini Hariharan’s blog – Asian Chemical Connections

By: Viola Pan
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