Shell declares force majeure on ethylene after US pipeline leak

06 December 2012 22:19  [Source: ICIS news]

HOUSTON (ICIS)--Shell has declared force majeure on ethylene after shutting down a segment of a pipeline in Louisiana because of a leak, the company said on Thursday.

"This incident has caused us to declare force majeure on ethylene supply to our customers east of Lake Charles, Louisiana," a spokesperson said.

The details on the length and depth of the restriction were not yet available, a market participant said.

Shell was also heard to have shut down its olefins Norco complex in Louisiana because it could not ship ethylene out of the facility.

The spokesperson declined to comment on the operational status of the facility, citing policy.

Shell has two crackers in Louisiana with a combined 1.42m tonnes/year of ethylene capacity.

For more on Shell’s plants, visit ICIS plants and projects 
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By: William Lemos
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