Mexico Braskem Idesa shuts down cracker

HOUSTON (ICIS)–Mexican polyethylene (PE) producer Braskem Idesa shut down its ethane cracker at the Ethylene XXI complex at Coatzacoalcos because of maintenance at an upstream supplier, a market participant said late Wednesday.

The ethane cracker was shut down this week and will remain down for about 10 days, the source said. Braskem Idesa will conduct its own maintenance while the cracker is down.

PE production at its three plants also will be down, the source added.

The shutdown was said to track ethane-stream maintenance at Pemex. The state energy producer supplies the ethane to Ethylene XXI.  

It was unclear if the Braskem Idesa shutdown was planned. The producer did not respond to requests for comment.

Braskem Idesa’s Ethylene XXI project, which was completed in December 2015, includes a 1.05m tonne/year ethane cracker; a 750,000 tonne/year of high density PE (HDPE) capacity; and a 300,000 tonne/year low density PE (LDPE) unit.