Maintenance turnaround at BTX plants in Asia

08-Sep-08

Sinopec Tianjin Petrochemical Co. Ltd. has shuttered its BTX plant for a 40 day turnaround until second half of October. Capacities that will be affected include: 145,000 tpa of benzene, 135,000 tpa of toluene and 400,000 tpa of xylene. The 200,000 tpa ethylene cracker will also be brought down for turnaround in the second half of this month for about 2-3 weeks. Nanjing Refining Plant has commenced a planned maintenance turnaround at its reforming unit on Sept for about 10 days along with its BTX plant with capacities that include 30,000 tpa of benzene, 110,000 tpa of toluene and 130,000 tpa of xylene. Last month, PT Trans Pacific Petrochemical Indotama (TPPI)'s BTX plant, including PX and benzene units were shuttered. Start up is planned towards the second half of October or early November. Nameplate capacity at the paraxylene (PX) plant is at about 600,000 tpa, at the benzene plant is at 4,00,000 tpa and the OX plant at 120,000 tpa. Taiwan's Formosa also plans to close its No.3 BTX plant for 40 days. The shutdown is planned to commence in second half October. Plant capacity stands at 470,000 tpa of benzene, 100,000 tpa of isomer-grade xylene and undisclosed quantity of toluene.