Shell’s Singapore ethylene unit runs at 70%

13-May-10

Royal Dutch Shell's 800,000 tpa ethylene cracker in Singapore is operating at around 70% capacity with capacity expected to be ramped up to 80% very shortly. Currently, the plant has a minimum monthly requirement of 30,000 tons of naphtha as feedstock. About 715,000 tons of naphtha has been sourced from India for March-June vs negligible volumes in January and February. Though these volumes of naphtha required are not very significant, they have added to demand from the region and helped prop up market outlook amid increased requirement of naphtha from Thailand’s 900,000 tpa Map Ta Phut Olefins. Shell has overtaken Itochu as the leading buyer of Indian cargoes for April-loading cargoes, grabbing nearly 300,000 tons vs 100,000 tons it bought for March loading from India and 185,000 tons for May.