Oman’s OQ shuts Sohar polypropylene plant

Market: Petrochemicals
26/03/21

Oman's state-owned petrochemical producer OQ has shut its 340,000 t/y polypropylene (PP) plant in Sohar because of upstream technical issues. The disruption, which started on 24 March, is expected to last for about four weeks.

OQ's shutdown is expected to further tighten PP supplies in the Middle East, with several other regional producers' PP units having shutdowns.

Saudi Kayan is currently having planned maintenance at its 350,000 t/yr PP unit in Jubail that is expected to finish at the end of this month. Fellow Saudi producer Advanced Petrochemicals is having planned maintenance at its 450,000 t/yr PP unit in Jubail, which is expected to be completed in early April.

Kuwait's PIC, a subsidiary of state-owned KPC, issued a force majeure on 26 February that is expected to last for six weeks. It has a 100,000 t/yr PP production capacity.

PP raffia and PP co-polymer were assessed yesterday by Argus at $1,258-1,318/t fob Saudi Arabia and $1,258-1,358/t fob Saudi Arabia for China main ports respectively.

By Matthew Rajendra

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