Naphtha crack in Asia inch up on strong demand

14-Dec-15

Naphtha crack in Asia edged higher to about US$128.80/ton, holding near an 8-1/2 month high on strong demand and tighter supply from India and the Middle East, as per Reuters. Shell had shut its ethylene cracker complex at the Pulau Bukom manufacturing site in Singapore for maintenance to repair external corrosion in some areas. Shell this month declared force majeure on production from the cracker, which annually produces more than 900,000 tons of ethylene. The impact of the shutdown on the regional market was expected to be minimal because there are few maintenance shutdowns scheduled over the winter for other crackers in Asia, sources said.