Braskem to Restart Ethylene Unit at Triunfo Petrochemical Complex by Month's End

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Researched by Industrial Info Resources (Sugar Land, Texas)--At the end of the month, Braskem (NYSE:BAK) (Camacari, Brazil) will begin the restart process of a naphtha cracker at the Triunfo Complex in Rio Grande do Sul in southern Brazil. In December 2008, the chemical company shut down two naphtha cracker units, including the 720,000-metric-ton-per-year Cracker 1 at Triunfo because of a reduction in demand for ethylene products domestically and internationally. For more details, view related December 16, 2008, news article - Braskem Reduces Ethylene Production Amid Decrease in Market Demand.

The complex has been operating with a smaller ethylene cracker since December 8, 2008, with the processing units working at 40% capacity. The feed was provided by the operating ethylene plant. Now, the two trains in Cracker 1 will be restarted in two stages. The first train will come online in the last days of January and will increase the facility's ethylene production by 50%. The second stage will take place with the restart of the second train, which will take place in the first part of February. The complex is expected to be operating at full capacity by the end of February.

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