Singapore Prime Evolue halts MLLDPE trial production amid ethylene shortage

11-Dec-15

Singapore Prime Evolue has halted trial production at its new 300,000 tpa metallocene hexene-based linear low density polyethylene plant on Jurong Island due to the lack of feedstock ethylene following the force majeure on ethylene supply by Shell, a company source has been reported by Platts. Prime Evolue is a joint venture between Mitsui Chemicals and Prime Polymer. "We can expect C2 [ethylene] to be very tight from December to June," the source said, declining to comment on the restart date saying it was "too sensitive for the time being". Shell Chemicals declared a force majeure on ethylene supply on December 1 following mechanical problems at its steam cracker in Pulau Bukom, which produces 960,000 m tpa of ethylene. Shell has also declared a force majeure on other petrochemicals including propylene oxide, monopropylene glycol, polyols, propylene, monoethylene glycol, butadiene.