LG Chem shuts Yosu cracker: Update

updates production status in paragraphs 3-5

South Korea's LG Chemical has shut its 1.16mn t/yr Yosu cracker following a fire.

The company said a fire broke out at its central control room at the Yosu cracker complex at around midnight local time (15:00 GMT) today. It is unclear if there were any casualties.

The cracker shutdown is expected to last at least three weeks. Affected production include 1.16mn t/yr of ethylene, 600,000 t/yr of propylene and 155,000 t/yr of butadiene capacity. Its aromatics unit, which has a nameplate capacity of 240,000 t/yr of benzene, 96,000 t/yr of toluene and 24,000 t/yr of xylenes, went off line as well. The company also shut down its downstream units, comprising a 360,000 t/yr high-density polyethylene unit and 400,000 t/yr cumene plant.

LG Chem is currently trying to maintain normal operations at its 156,000 t/yr low-density polyethylene and its 1.375mn t/yr ethylene dichloride units. Its 500,000 t/yr styrene monomer and 900,000 t/yr acrylonitrile butadiene units are also operating normally.

LG Chem also owns another 1.27mn t/yr naphtha-fed cracker at Daesan that is currently running normally.