Today's Chemical Processing Hotline Headlines

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North America
Shell Chemical Company's 2,300 million-pound-per-year OP3 ethylene unit at its plant in Deer Park, Texas, remains shut down after a turbine complication occurred on December 7. A restart attempt is expected this upcoming weekend.

International
Showa Denko KK, on January 22, was forced to shut down the 1,091 million-pound-per-year Ethylene Unit 2 (C2) and 441 million-pound-per-year Ethylene Unit 1 (C1) at its Oita Petrochemicals & Chemical Complex in Japan due to an intensity 5 earthquake. The unplanned shutdown could last until February 7, but no final decision has been made at this time.

NS Styrene Monomer Company Limited was forced to shut down the 537.2 million-pound-per-year No. 3 Ethylbenzene Unit and 485.21 million-pound-per-year No. 2 Ethylbenzene Unit at its Oita Chemicals Plant in Japan due to an intensity 5 earthquake. The unplanned shutdown could possibly take until February 7; however, no final decision has been made at this time.

Maruzen Petrochemical Company Limited, on January 24, began a 53-day planned turnaround of the 1,693 million-pound-per-year Keiyo Ethylene (4EP) Unit and 988.10 million-pound-per-year propylene unit at its Ichihara Chiba Chemical Complex in Japan. The restart is expected March 17.