Fuhaichuang, Fuhua schedule PX, PTA maintenance

Chinese producer Fujian Fuhaichuang Petrochemical is planning to shut down its Gulei aromatics complex in southeast China next week for a turnaround lasting 30-45 days. Its sister company Fuhua Gulei will also have 15-20 days of maintenance from early July at a purified terephthalic acid (PTA) unit.

Fuhaichuang has two production lines with a capacity of 1.6mn t/yr of paraxylene (PX). Fuhaichuang's aromatics complex also houses a 244,000 t/yr benzene unit and a 240,000 t/yr orthoxylene unit.

Fuhaichuang, previously known as Dragon Aromatics, restarted production from its first PX unit in last December and increased operating rates at the second unit from March. The complex was closed for more than three years following an explosion in 2015. The company has been buying feedstock isomer-grade mixed xylenes from the domestic market to feed the PX unit, although exact volumes cannot be confirmed.

Fuhua had initially planned to have maintenance at the 4.5mn t/yr PTA unit in May because of mechanical as well as power supply issues. But the plan was postponed for nearly two months as PTA production margins were lucrative. The company has yet to confirm with its direct offtakers if there will be any reductions in July PTA supplies as a result of the maintenance.