Pemex brings LDPE plant at Cangrejera online post maintenance

17-May-12

Mexico's state-owned polyethylene producer Pemex has brought online one of the three trains at its Cangrejera LDPE plant Sunday, as per Platts. The programmed maintenance shutdown at Cangrejera's LDPE plant started on April 18, and Pemex returned the plant to normal operations on schedule. The three Cangrejera LDPE plant trains working together have a nameplate capacity of 300,000 tpa, the shutdown of which is believed to have led to some scarcity of LDPE in April. Pemex reduced its polyethylene offers for the domestic market by 3-5% on May 8 because of the weak demand and competitive offers coming from the international market into the country. Following the decrease, Pemex prices for the domestic market were heard at 63-65 cents/lb FOB Mexico City for HDPE injection and blow molding, 68-71 cents/lb FOB Mexico City for LDPE film. and at 65-67cents/lb for LLDPE butene (bulk). US offers to Mexico were heard this week at 65 cents/lb DAF Laredo for LDPE film, 62 cents/lb DAF Laredo for LLDPE butene, 60 cent/lb DAF Laredo for HDPE blow molding and HDPE injection.