Today's Chemical Processing Hotline Headlines

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North America
BASF Total Petrochemicals, on March 8, began a planned maintenance turnaround at the C-4 production area, which includes four units, at its plant in Port Arthur, Texas. The restart is expected in May.

International
Maruzen Petrochemical Company Limited, on March 16, was forced to shut down the 253.5 million-pound-per-year Ethylene Oxide (EO) Unit, 253.5 million-pound-per-year Ethylene Glycol (EG) Unit and 245.2 million-pound-per-year High-Density Polyethylene Resins (HDPE) Unit at its Ichihara Chiba Chemical Complex in Japan due to the intensity 6 earthquake. The restart is expected by April 2, but no final decision has been made at this time. Maruzen Petrochemical also has delayed the restart of the 1,693 million-pound-per-year Keiyo Ethylene (4EP) and 988.10 million-pound-per-year propylene units; the restart is set for April 2.

INOVYN Norge AS, in mid-March, started a planned maintenance turnaround of the 1,492 million-pound-per-year ethylene unit at its Stathelle Rafnes Ethylene Plant in Norway. The completion is expected in early May.

Borealis AB is performing a planned maintenance turnaround of the 772 million-pound-per-year Polyethylene (PP) Unit, which kicked off in early February, at its Stenungsund Polyolefins Complex in Sweden. The completion is expected in late May.

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