ACN Market under No Impact from the Earthquake, Producers Maintaining Normal Operation
05/13/2008 11:25
An earthquake of M 7.8 occurred in Wenchuan Sichuan yesterday. People in Hubei, Ningxia, Gansu, Shaanxi, Shanxi, Shandong, Henan, Hunan, Yunnan, Guizhou, Guangxi, Tibet, Jiangsu, Liaoning, Shanghai, etc can sense the earthquake. Producers in southwest China said that they were not influenced by the earthquake, maintaining normal operation. There are not any ACN units in southwest China.
Minor Aftershocks Not Subsiding, Normal Polyolefin Petrochemical Production
05/13/2008 9:50
An earthquake of M 7.8 occurred in Wenchuan Sichuan at 14:28 12 May, 2008 (Beijing Time), and an earthquake of M 3.9 occurred in Tongzhou Beijing at 14:35. By 17:28, over 313 minor shocks (excluding the first earthquake) occurred in earthquake areas, peaking at M6.0. Provinces in the periphery of Sichuan including Hubei, Ningxia, Gansu, Shaanxi, Shanxi, Shandong, Henan, Hunan, Yunnan, Guizhou, Guangxi, Tibet, Jiangsu, Liaoning, Shanghai, etc can also sense the earthquake. Yesterday (12 May) Shanghai citizens who scarcely experience earthquakes were somewhat in panic on feeling tiny shocks of buildings.
Though situating in earthquake areas, polyolefin petrochemical producers like Lanzhou PC and Yanshan PC maintained normal production. However, PetroChina Southwest Sales Center in Chengdu quit work on 13 May. “Chengdu is only 90 km from Wenchuan, staff have been evacuated for safety,” said Sources.
Sichuan Meifeng's Urea Unit Shut down Due to Earthquake
05/13/2008
May 13: Sichuan Meifeng Chemical Industry Co., Ltd’s urea unit was shut down on power cut-off caused by a major earthquake measuring 7.8 on the Richter scale on May 12. When to restart was yet uncertain yet.
Natural Rubber Production Remained Normal in Yunnan, Unaffected by Wenchuan Earthquake
05/13/2008
May 13: A major earthquake measuring 7.8 on the Richter scale jolted Wenchuan County of southwest China's Sichuan Province on May 1 but it did not impact Yunnan natural rubber production. Rubber production was normal by the press time.
Some plastic converters in Southwest China are offline due to the Wenchuan earthquake
05/13/2008 13:23
A strong earthquake measuring 7.8 on the Richter scale rocked Wenchuan in Sichuan province on May 12, making some plastic converters in Southwest China offline.
“We felt that the building was shaking this morning, so all people went to square”, said Ms. Li from Chengdu Dongsheng Packing Material Co., Ltd. The company has stopped production yesterday after the earthquake took place. The production will not restart in three to four-days due to the reported aftershock. Other plastic converters in Chengdu see the same situation according to our reporters.
Before the earthquake, downstream converters cut operating rates due to short supply and high prices of feedstock. The earthquake damages traffic and telecommunication in Southwest China, and the hampered transportation makes China Petroleum’s sources cannot arrive, worsening the already-short supply.
Lanzhou Refinery Chemical’s Butanone Unit under No Impact from the Earthquake
05/13/2008 15:39
Chemease Website (13 May): Lanzhou Refinery Chemical’s butanone unit received no impact from the earthquake, currently at normal operation. Offers stayed at CNY10,750-10,950/tonne, flat from last week. However, the powerful earthquake impaired road and railway transportation in some regions. Producers revealed that butanone transportation would be difficult, and when transportation could be fully resumed remained unclear.
Chongqing methanol units not influenced by Wenchuan earthquake
05/13/2008 10:16
The 7.8-magnitude earthquake in Wenchuan, Sichuang province, did not impact Chongqing methanol unit. Jiantao shut down its 450,000tonne/year methanol unit on May 12, but it was restarted on May 13. Jiangyou's 100,000 tonne/year unit was under maintenance since April 3, restart time undetermined. Other units, like the 400,000 tonne/year unit at Lutian Chemical, 90,000 tonne/year unit at Yibin Tianke and 300,000 tonne/year unit at Chuanwei, were running well. Producers reported influences on road transportation and some of them shifted to water transportation instead.
Sichuan Formaldehyde Plants Shut Down for Earthquake
05/13/2008
CBI News May 13: Formaldehyde plants were almost shut down in Sichuan Province on the afternoon of May 12 due to the earthquake and whether to restart was unknown yet. Besides, formaldehyde plants in Chongqing were not affected by the earthquake and ran normally.
Wenchuan Earthquake Affected Sichuan Oil & Chemical Plants
05/13/2008
CBI News May 13: A major earthquake measuring 7.8 on the Richter scale jolted Wenchuan County of southwest China's Sichuan Province on May 12 and Chengdu and Mianyang were also quaked. Production of Sichuan Tianyu and Sichuan Xipu, two major oil & chemical producers in Sichuan, was also affected.
On May 12, workshops and offices of Sichuan Tianyu Co., Ltd were quaked and the staff was immediately evacuated. As it was located far from the epicenter, the buildings were not severely damaged. The producer resumed production later after a short-lived refuge. The company sources said the earthquake did not hamper its production, sales and transportation. It was reported some Stearic Acid plants were shut down in areas near the epicenter such as Chengdu and many speedways broke off, hampering sales of these plants. Accordingly, Tianyu lowered both glycerin and Stearic Acid prices late on May 12 to CNY10,000/tonne, with transactions found at lower prices. Trade volumes were very low on May 13.
Mianyang, close to the epicenter, was severely hampered and local water and power supplies were disrupted. Sichuan Xipu, located in Miaoyang, closed down, with the restart time uncertain yet.
Most ethanol producers in Sichuan are down on the Wenchuan Earthquake
05/13/2008 10:31
Most ethanol producers in Sichuan have been shut down due to the Wenchuan Earthquake. A large-sized producer's chimney collapses and its production is stopped. Other producers cannot assess the impact on their production until a careful inspection. Traffic and telecommunication in Sichuan are being restored with instable supply of water and power.
Some chlor-alkali producers in Sichuan are offline on the Wenchuan Earthquake
05/12/2008 17:11
Sichuan Jinlu Chemical's 340,000tonnes/yr PVC unit and 250,000tonnes/yr chlor-alkali unit have been offline with no restart date specified due to the strong earthquake measuring 7.8 Richter scale in Wenchuan, Sichuan. Yibin Tianyuan and Luzhou Xinfu Chemical run normally. Other chlor-alkali producers in Sichuan cannot be contacted and CBI will continue focus on the latest information. Impact on Yunnan, Guizhou, Chongqing, Hunan, Hubei and Henan is light, and chlor-alkali producers there enjoy normal operation.
Leshan Hebang Chemical's soda ash unit is in emergency shutdown
05/12/2008 17:12
Sichuan Leshan Hebang Chemical's 400,000tonnes/yr soda ash unit has been offline due to the Wenchuan Earthquake. Other producers cannot be contacted and CBI will continue focus on the latest information.