Styrene prices have spiked by over ninety dollars since the close of last week. This 6% spike has taken prices to a two-month high of US$1600/mt in the wake of a steam leak at Shell's steam crackers at Moerdijk in the Netherlands, according to market sources in Platts. The leak has impacted Shell's 450,000 tpa propylene/oxide styrene unit, market participants said on the sidelines of the European Petrochemical Association annual forum in Vienna. Shell has declared force majeure on ethylene and propylene at its 900,000 tpa steam cracker at Moerdijk following a steam leak at the unit Thursday, which resulted in flaring activity. As an important styrene feedstock, the ethylene force majeure created a spike in styrene prices. In line with the spike in styrene, benzene prices are also heard to be rising in response to the Moerdijk incident.
08-Oct-14 
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