Thailand's Siam Cement Group (SCG) will begin in November its overdue turnaround and expansion at its Mab Ta Phut Olefins (MOC) complex.
The producer plans to shut its cracker, with a nameplate production capacity of 900,000 t/yr of ethylene and 800,000 t/yr of propylene, for approximately 45 days from 2 November to 16 December. The turnaround was supposed to occur in May but faced delays because of Covid-19 safety measures.
SCG during the turnaround will also carry out a debottlenecking exercise to expand its ethylene production by 300,000 t/yr.
Its downstream aromatics unit, which receives pygas from the associated cracker, will also be shut for maintenance. The aromatics unit can produce up to 160,000 t/yr of benzene, 70,000 t/yr of toluene and 80,000 t/yr of solvent-mixed xylenes (SMX). The aromatics unit will be shut from the second half of October, ahead of the cracker's shutdown. The producer has temporarily ceased offering toluene and SMX to the spot market, according to market participants.
SCG's polymer subsidiaries Thai Polypropylene (TPP) and Thai Polyethylene (TPE) are also expected to shut selected downstream polymers units for maintenance, but for a shorter duration of approximately 30 days. TPP is expected to shut its 720,000 t/yr PP complex that comprises three production lines. TPE is expected to shut about 520,000 t/yr of its high-density polyethylene production for similar maintenance.
