Dow Argentina mulls ethylene sale amid fluctuating energy complex

11-Sep-15

Dow Argentina may load a spot ethylene cargo of an undisclosed volume to an undetermined destination, as per sources in Platts. "We have a surplus at the moment due to running at a good rate," the source said. Dow applies most of its monomer to downstream derivatives, per market feedback. However, the source elaborates that the surplus is a result of the end of winter in Argentina as well as of government-imposed natural gas curtailments amid units that have been running at full rates Dow Argentina operates two ethane-fed steam crackers at its Bahia Blanca petrochemical complex, which has an ethylene production capacity estimated at 765,000 tpa. Despite the company's length, global ethylene economics may hamper any potential trade, so the company may not load a cargo at all, the source said.