Unexpected shutdown at Malaysian Lotte Chemicals' naphtha-fed steam crackers at Pasir Gudang

12-Apr-17

Malaysia's Lotte Chemical Titan unexpectedly shut its No. 1 and 2 naphtha-fed steam crackers at Pasir Gudang Tuesday due to an interruption of water supplies, as per sources in Platts. Over the last weekend, a domestic utilities company was carrying out upgrading works which led to the water cut. Water supplies were currently being restored, one source said but it was unclear how long the crackers will remain shut.

The No. 1 cracker can produce 260,000 m tpa of ethylene and 160,000 m tpa of propylene while the No. 2 cracker can make 407,000 m tpa of ethylene and 260,000 m tpa of propylene. The No. 2 cracker had just completed a planned turnaround from February 6 to March 29. The status of a 100,000 m tpa butadiene extraction unit at the site could not be confirmed. The Lotte Chemical Titan-owned unit obtains its crude C4 feedstock from both crackers.