Japan's ethylene production in July rose 8% from a month earlier to 566,000 mt, after a restart of two steam crackers owned by Mitsubishi Chemical, data released late Friday by the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry showed.
But on a year-on-year basis, July production dropped 4.7%.
Mitsubishi Chemical restarted its No. 1 steam cracker in Kashima on June 30 after completing annual maintenance that began mid-May, while its steam cracker in Mizushima was restarted on June 25 after an annual turnaround that also began mid-May.
Mitsubishi's No. 1 steam cracker is able to produce 375,000 mt/year of ethylene and 170,000 mt/year of propylene, while its Mizushima unit is capable of producing 495,000 mt/year of ethylene and 320,000 mt/year of propylene.
But Mitsui Chemicals shut its steam cracker in Chiba, eastern Japan, over July 1-27 for annual maintenance. Its Chiba unit is able to produce 600,000 mt/year of ethylene and 331,000 mt/year of propylene.
