Global Pricing Briefs from Polymerupdate.com 8064

Polymerupdate.com is reporting that Gail India Ltd. has shut down its dedicated high-density polyethylene (HDPE) plant in Pata, India. The 100,000 tonnes/yr facility closed in the last week of 2007 for what was believed to be upstream issues in natural gas feedstock supplies. Polymerupdate.com’s source expects the facility to restart production in the middle of January. The site includes a 300,000 tonnes/yr ethylene cracker, with a 210,000 tonnes/yr HDPE/linear low-density polyethylene swing unit.

Polymerupdate.com is also reporting that startup of the Oman polypropylene (PP) plant has been delayed due to issues with the Sohar refinery, which is to supply it propylene feedstock. The current plan is for mid January 2008 startup for the 340,000 tonnes/yr PP unit.

Finally, Iranian firm Mehr Petrochemcial plans to startup up a HDPE plant at the Pars Special Economic Energy Zone in Assalouyeh, Iran. To open in mid-2009, the facility will have a production capacity of 300,000 tonnes/yr. Ownership will be split between Iran’s National Petrochemical Co., Japan’s Mitsui, and Thailand’s SCG.