Japan’s ethylene production rose 0.1% in March 2011 vs March 2010, although some plants were shut after the March 11 earthquake, as per government data on Reuters. Ethylene output totalled 514,800 tons last month compared with 514,100 tons a year ago, as per the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry. March output was down 15% from 605,300 tons in February, when no plants were shut for maintenance. There was one maintenance-related plant shutdown in Japan in March 2011, while three plants were shut in March 2010, METI said.
Maruzen Petrochemical Co Ltd and JX Nippon Oil & Energy Corp, an oil refining unit of JX Holdings have restarted their quake-shut naphtha crackers, leaving two crackers still shut at the Kashima plant operated by Mitsubishi Chemical Corp, with a total ethylene making capacity of 828,000 tpa. The export volume of ethylene fell 9.6% to 191,800 tons in February from a year earlier. The January export figure was 211,300 tons.
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