PTT delays start-up of phenol plant

: Petrochemicals
15/09/17

Thailand's state-controlled PTT Phenol has postponed the start-up of its second phenol plant to December because of construction delays.

The No.2 plant at Mab Ta Phut, with a nameplate production capacity of 250,000 t/yr, was to be commissioned in November. The plant is expected to reach commercial production from February next year. But PTT is planning to start offering few phenol cargoes in the regional market during the trial production process.

The start-up will double PTT's phenol capacity with the existing 250,000 t/yr No.1 plant at Mab Ta Phut. It plans to secure the plant's entire feedstock benzene and propylene requirements from its own facilities at the same site.

PTT consumes about 140,000 t/yr of the phenol produced at the No.1 plant at its 150,000 t/yr bis-phenol A plant, also located at Mab Ta Phut. It exports another 100,000 t/yr of phenol to downstream BPA and polycarbonate producers in the region.

mc/rjd

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