Toagosei Co. Ltd. (TYO:4045) has success in its sights with a new process for directly manufacturing acrylic acid from propane on an industrial scale. The new process achieves yields comparable with the existing two-step method of oxidizing naphtha-derived propylene, raising the prospect of cutting CO2 emission intensity by 30 percent or more. Demand for acrylic...
naphtha
Japan’s Naphtha Cracker Capacity Utilization Exceeds 100 Percent in January
With capacity utilization of ethylene-producing naphtha crackers reaching 100.1 percent in Japan last month, it marks the first time since February 2008 that naphtha crackers have operated at more than full capacity. This can be attributed to strong demand, even while domestic production capacity is shrinking. Imports of petrochemicals are decreasing and demand for made-in-Japan...
Domestic Naphtha Price Rises to 34,000 yen in October–December 2016 Quarter
The domestic naphtha price for October–December 2016 rose 2,700 yen ($23.96), or 8.6 percent, to 34,000 yen per kiloliter from 31,300 yen in the July–September quarter. It was the first price rise in six quarters, pushed up by both the Far East Spot Naphtha Price and the foreign exchange rate. According to customs clearance records...
Conclusion Draws Near for Price Hike Negotiations on Film-Use Polyolefin
Polyolefin price hike negotiations are entering their final stage in the film sector. It appears that the domestic naphtha price for January–March 2017 is likely to be set at low 40,000 yen levels (approximately $350–$400) per kiloliter, given the pronounced rise in the crude oil price. A certain degree of understanding has been reached with...
Prime Polymer Announces Price Hike for Polyolefins
Prime Polymer Co. Ltd. will hike the price of polyethylene (PE) and polypropylene (PP), effective for shipments from Jan. 21, 2017. Prices will be revised by no less than 20 yen ($0.17) per kilogram, attributed to the rise in price of naphtha. According to the company, the price of domestically produced naphtha, which is the...
Sumitomo Chemical Announces Price Increase for Polyolefins
Sumitomo Chemical Co. Ltd. (TYO:4005) will be increasing its price of polyethylene (PE) and polypropylene (PP), starting with shipments from Jan. 20, 2017. Set to rise by 18 yen ($0.15) or more per kilogram, the price increase is primarily due to the rising costs of naphtha, a major raw material. Sudden price jumps of Japanese-produced...
Nippon Shokubai to Hike Price for Acrylic Acid, Acrylic Ester and Ethylene Oxide
Nippon Shokubai Co. Ltd. (TYO:4114) will raise the price for acrylic acid (AA), acrylic ester (AE), ethylene oxide (EO) and its derivatives, starting with January 2017 shipments. Prices across the board will increase by at least 20 yen ($0.17) per kilogram. The price of Japanese-produced naphtha is expected to surge above 40,000 yen per kilogram...
Idemitsu Kosan, Mitsui Chemicals to Increase Propane Ratio in Petrochemical Raw Materials
Idemitsu Kosan Co. Ltd. (TYO:5019) and Mitsui Chemicals Inc. (TYO:4183) will increase the propane processing capacity at Chiba Chemicals Manufacturing LLP. Jointly operated by the two companies, the complex has an ethylene manufacturing facility with a current capacity of 370,000 tons per year. Periodic maintenance will be carried out at the complex in the autumn...
Naphtha Cracker Margins Contract in Southeast Asia
Naphtha cracker margins are contracting in Southeast Asia. The spread between naphtha and ethylene was just under $600 per ton from late October to the beginning of November, down 20 percent since April. While the margin remains reasonable, there are strong expectations that there will be oversupply of olefin in Southeast Asia throughout next year....
Tight Supply–Demand Balance for Toluene as Inventories Fall
The supply of toluene in Japan has been tight since September. A series of regular maintenance operations on naphtha crackers this year has led to insufficient pre-maintenance inventories from the summer onward. Furthermore, production has been impacted by relatively low volumes of imported heavy naphtha, used as a raw material in toluene. Japan’s toluene supply...
Rabigh Phase 2 Project Completion Pushed Back to May 2017
An expected delay in the completion of a derivatives plant is set to push back the timeline on the Phase 2 expansion project of Rabigh Refining & Petrochemical Co., a joint venture for oil refinery and petrochemical business in Saudi Arabia between Sumitomo Chemical Co. Ltd. (TYO:4005) and Saudi Aramco. The plant was initially set...
Domestic Naphtha Price Falls Slightly in July–September Quarter
The domestic naphtha price for July–September dropped 300 yen ($2.86), or 0.9 percent, per kiloliter from that of April–June, falling quarter-on-quarter to 31,300 yen ($298.49). It was the fifth consecutive quarter that the price has fallen, though it represented a contraction in level of decline. Domestic naphtha price is an indicator of the domestic price...
Butadiene Trades at Highest Level in Asian Market This Year
The Asian market for butadiene is trading at its highest level this year. The spot price has recently broken through $1,200 per ton (CFR Far East Asia), with a target for even higher levels. Despite lacking robustness within the region, demand remains firm; however, demand–supply balance is tightening due to a shortfall in supply. Successive...
Nissan Chemical Switches Over to Natural Gas for Ammonia Production
Nissan Chemical Industries Ltd. (TYO:4021) recently completed works at its factory in Toyama City, Toyama Prefecture, starting operations in August with the use of natural gas, instead of naphtha, for ammonia production. The change to natural gas, which is less prone to fluctuate in price than naptha, should lead to product revenue stabilization and the...
