US olefins producer Dow Chemical has shut the No. 7 light hydrocarbon cracking unit at its Freeport, Texas, complex, a company source close to the operations said Wednesday.
In a Tuesday emissions report filed with the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, Dow said it was flaring about 98,000 lb of ethylene, 40,000 lb of propylene and 31,000 lb of propane and expected to complete the operation by 8 a.m. CDT (1300 GMT) Wednesday.
The source added that it is unclear how long the cracking unit would remain offline.
The unit had shut March 30 for a planned turnaround, which was completed in the late June, market sources said.
Ethylene production capacity of the cracker is estimated at 600,000 mt/year.
Williams Olefins in Geismar, Lousiana, Westlake's Petro-1 in Lake Charles, Louisiana, Chevron Phillips Chemical's Sweeny #33 in Old Ocean, Texas, and LyondellBasell's Clinton, Iowa, plant are also conducting maintenance on ethylene operations.
Ethylene spot markets did not appear to react to the Dow news. August was heard bid at 55.25-55.75 cents/lb Mont Belvieu Williams pipeline and was heard offered at 56.25-57.50 cents/lb, while September was heard bid at 56.50 cents/lb Mont Belvieu Williams pipeline and offered at 57.50 cents/lb.
August was last heard traded at 56 cents/lb Mont Belvieu Williams on late Tuesday afternoon. A first-quarter 2014 deal was heard at 55.50 cents/lb Mont Belvieu Williams pipeline.
