PetroChina Guangdong to build world's largest single-train paraxylene unit
Singapore — PetroChina Guangdong Petrochemical Company has selected Honeywell UOP to build the world's largest single-train paraxylene unit at its new integrated petrochemical complex in Jieyang, Guangdong province, Honeywell said in a statement Thursday.
The new light desorbent parex aromatics complex will be able to produce 2.6 million mt/year of PX, using sulfolane, isomar, tatoray and olefin removal processes.
The Chinese major will also use heavy oil processing technology from Honeywell UOP with an annual crude processing capacity of 20 million mt/year.
Other units include a 3.7 million mt/year hydrocracking unit as well as two continuous catalytic reforming platforming process units, or reformers, each with the capacity of 3 million mt/year, the statement said.
Trial operations at the refining complex are expected to start in October 2021, while trial operation at the petrochemical units will begin two months later, S&P Global Platts reported earlier.
The complex also includes a 1.2 million mt/year naphtha cracker and high density and low density polyethylene, polypropylene, styrene monomer and butadiene, Platts also reported previously.
China to impose 5% extra tariff on US butane, propane: State Council
Topic US-China Trade Tension
Singapore — China plans to impose 5% additional tariffs on imports of US butane and propane, the State Council's Tariff Commission said in a statement Friday on the Ministry of Finance website.
The tariff on US butane will take effect from September 1, while the tariff on US propane will take effect from December 15, the statement said. This takes the total tariff on each fuel to 31%, as China has already imposed 26% tariffs on them.
They are part of a new set of tariffs on $75 billion worth of US goods imports that will be implemented in two batches from September 1 and December 15, in retaliation for US tariffs on $300 billion of Chinese goods announced in August 15.
Agriculture | LNG | Oil | Petrochemicals | Shipping 23 Aug 2019 | 22:13 UTC Washington
US to raise tariffs on $550 billion of Chinese imports by 5 percentage points: Trump
Washington — The US will raise the tariff on $250 billion worth of Chinese imports from 25% to 30% on October 1, and raise the current 10% tariff on another $300 billion of Chinese imports to 15% on September 1, President Trump tweeted late Friday.
"Sadly, past Administrations have allowed China to get so far ahead of Fair and Balanced Trade that it has become a great burden to the American Taxpayer," Trump tweeted. "As President, I can no longer allow this to happen!"
Trump's plan to raise these tariffs by five percentage points was in response to China's announcement early Friday that it planned to levy a 5% tariff on US crude imports from September 1, part of a new round of tariffs on $75 billion worth of US goods imports that will be implemented in two batches from September 1 and December 15.
What US n China exports affected by increased tariffs, with lower currencies n surpluses be dumped to Asia ,so look for ayam tepung and imported materials stks
Seem like someone is pressing down the price co try to kick out others??? Why move down slowly with low volume? But can see spring energy is accumulating...
pchem joint aramco sudah masuk longkang.........no nid autaman to tell n gaurantee lct not masuk septic tank lar.:((...........apa tunggu dungu,run for your life!
Singapore — Market participants will continue to monitor the supply situation of key Asian steam cracker operators to gauge demand-supply balance for the near-term.
Spot supplies are seen to be increasing in line with planned startups of new steam crackers, notably SP Olefins in China.
OLEFINS The domestic propylene market in Asia is likely to find some support this week as China's Tianjin Bohua Yongli, the upstream entity of Tianjin Bohai Chemical, will restart 250,000 mt/year swing plants that can produce normal butyl alcohol or 2-ethyl hexanol in Tianjin after nearly 10 days of shutdown. The restart will enabled Tianjin Bohai Chemical to reduce their propylene spot sale in Shandong and will likely arrest the price decline seen last week. The Asian butadiene market has softened on weak demand. In South Korea, supply however is expected to remain snug. Most downstream rubber makers in Asia cite unaffordability and weak profit margin, resulting in tepid demand.
AROMATICS Activity for November-delivery paraxylene cargoes was limited last week, with only six physical cargoes traded during the Platts Markets on Close assessment process. However, interest for October should wane this week and shifts to November, as the CFR Taiwan/China marker rolls into November as the main pricing month this week. "Price support should come from the fact that the September ACP had settled at $780/mt on Friday," said a Singapore-based trader. "It is quite clear that Asian producers are striving to maintain paraxylene-naphtha margins at above $300/mt," a source said. The PX-naphtha spread was $323.56/mt last Friday, based on S&P Global Platts data.
Benzene prices have been on an uptrend over the second half of August, and is expected to continue strengthening this week. A clear indicator of firm demand for benzene can be seen in a wide spread between benzene and feedstock naphtha. The benzene-naphtha spread was firm at $214.92/mt Friday, and is expected to continue at levels above $200/mt this week. Demand from China is expected to pick up by October. One Chinese market participant said that with current inventory levels, buyers in the market would have to restock soon, or latest by October, the source estimates. East China stocks were estimated at 142,700 mt by an industry source Friday, up from just 700 mt on the week.
Asian styrene monomer fell $12/mt week on week to $1,012.50/mt CFR China and $972.50/mt FOB Korea last Friday on bearish sentiment. Margins were slipping on rising feedstock prices, while downstream demand was weak. Sources said that buying interest for US dollar-denominated materials would remain thin amid the escalating US-China trade tensions, while the yuan-denominated SM remain firm on the back of lower inventory in East China. However, a Chinese source noted that there may be a "limit" to the increase in SM prices unless there is an uptick in downstream activity.
POLYMERS Asian low density polyethylene prices will likely continue their downtrend trajectory from last week. There is ample supply from the US, particularly to Southeast Asia. Buyers surface on expectations that the currency depreciation will continue. Prices are now at a decade low, according to Platts data. Asian polypropylene prices are weak in Northeast and Southeast Asia, but are firmer in India. Some redirection of trade flows were heard, with Pakistan seeking Middle East cargoes following Pakistan's ban on Indian exports.
METHANOL High inventory levels and operating rates from inland methanol producers could weigh on Chinese methanol prices this week. Domestic ex-tank prices at Taicang slumped last Friday on burgeoning inventory at China's eastern ports. Inventory at East China ports was around 1 million-1.3 million mt, up 6.6%-12% on the week. Bearish fundamentals are also expected to persist in India, compounded by ample supplies and weak demand. Ready ex-tank cargoes were traded Rupees 16.5-17.50/kg last week, compared to Rupees 18/kg the week before.
INTERMEDIATES Asian purified terephthalic acid prices are likely to remain under pressure this week amid active selling in China's domestic PTA market, according to market sources. Spot physical trading discussions are expected to stay thin this week for the CFR China marker due to the closed arbitrage window since August. PTA was assessed $12/mt lower week on week at $655/mt CFR China last Friday.
Asian monoethylene glycol prices are expected to be rangebound this week amid a lack of direction. In the short term, some trade participants believed MEG prices will be supported by destocking expectations on the back of strong Chinese demand.
Nevertheless, supply glut will likely be seen with new startup capacities in the fourth quarter, leaving most trade participants cautious.
The narrowing spread between paraxylene and feedstock isomer-grade mixed xylene has seen northeast Asia MX-based producers come under huge cost pressure recently, with South Korea's Hyundai Cosmo Petrochemical announcing on Monday a lowering of operating rate at its No. 2 aromatics plant in Daesan, a source close to the company said. The source added that it was possible operations could be brought down to a minimum level, but declined to specify how much the minimum level is, and that the company would be monitoring the market situation and make adjustments accordingly.
The No. 2 unit, which primarily uses isomer-MX from Hyundai Chemical as feedstock, can produce 800,000 mt/year of paraxylene and 130,000 mt/year of benzene. The company's No. 1 aromatics unit, which can produce 380,000 mt/year of PX and 120,000 mt/year of benzene, will continue to operate at full production capacity, as it runs on naphtha supplied from the adjacent Hyundai Oilbank refinery, S&P Global Platts reported earlier.
Earlier, South Korea's Lotte Chemical also shut its No. 1 aromatics plant at Ulsan from early September due to weak margins, Platts reported earlier. It is unclear when the plant, with a paraxylene capacity of about 250,000 mt/year, would resume operations as it depends on the margins that are not expected to improve significantly in the near term, a source close to the company said.
Apart from firm blending demand for MX, another key reason for the erosion of the PX-MX spread over Q3 2019 is the impending startup of several new large PX plants mainly in China, which would put downward pressure on Asian spot PX prices, while at the same time supporting isomer-MX prices as these new PX plants require MX for their operations.
One of the startups, Sinopec Hainan's No. 2 PX line of 1 million mt/year capacity, is expected to start production imminently, and will be running on 100% MX feed. The capacity at its No. 1 PX line, which currently produces at 600,000 mt/year, will also be raised to 1 million mt/year by the third quarter, Platts has reported.
"Sinopec Hainan No. 2 is expected to start production end September and supply first PX cargo in October," a Chinese PX buyer, who did not wish to be named, said.
"At the beginning the price [of MX] rose because of the PX demand, but lately mostly because of the gasoline [demand]. PX demand is not that good. The spread between MX and PX is horrible," a Chinese market source said Tuesday.
Petrochemical so bearish in 2019/2020 yet so powerful of JF Apex research in its daily highlights report can push price up by 20cent.
So many traders jump in because of the news: Lotte Chemical Titan said its US-based joint venture company Lotte Chemical USA Corp's ethane cracker and monoethylene glycol plants had started commercial operations in August 2019 on an integrated basis.
South Korea's Lotte Chemical also shut its plant ......I wonder in a bearish market how adding more supply to market will help LCTitan.... Lets see
Critiqued this counter when it was traded above 5 and arguments that the company didn't know the impact of an incident on its bottom line is totally unbelievable. Today one can get 50% discount. Good luck everyone in search of reliable and competent management.
Global PE price war begins as supply grows and demand fades Higher cost producers, such as naphtha-based companies in Europe and Asia, will come under increased margin pressure, unless oil prices collapse. Capacity closures are a possibility.
how can be good with massive oversupply everywhere....,somemore with expensive energy n petro chemicals,produce lose more don't produce just accept all capital variable costs, TP1.60
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