Toluene

SINGAPORE (ICIS)–China’s major isocyanate producer Wanhua Chemical reported a 29% year-on-year decrease in Q3 profit as falling prices of some products and rising cost eroded margins, the company said on Tuesday. Turnarounds at its production units at Yantai in China, and in Hungary also dragged down earnings for the period. million CNY Q3 2024 Q3 2023 % change Jan-Sept 2024 Jan-Sept 2023 % change Revenue 50,536.79 44,927.77 12.5% 147,604.15 132,554.14 11.4% Operating profit 3,985.81 5,316.14 -25.0% 14,556.54 15,592.67 -6.6% Net Profit 2,918.95 4,134.95 -29.4% 11,093.32 12,703.18 -12. 7% Key points: – Q3 demand for pure methylene diphenyl diisocyanate (MDI) sluggish amid high inventory and fierce competition – For polymetric MDI, demand from the fridge sector as well as from the construction sector increased, while exports were stable in July-September 2024. – For toluene diisocyanate (TDI), demand was weak amid mounting inventories in downstream home furnishing industry. – Demand of polyols also slumped by poor needs from home furnishing and car sectors. – On cost side, Q3 prices of benzene and liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) – two of Wanhua Chemica’s key raw materials – increased by 13%-25% on year, although coal prices dropped by about 2%.

29-Oct-2024

SAO PAULO (ICIS)–Here are some of the stories from ICIS Latin America for the week ended on 18 October. NEWSArgentina’s Rio Tercero shuts TDI plant on global oversupply Petroquimica Rio Tercero has shut its toluene di-isocyanate (TDI) plant in Cordoba on the back of global oversupply, a spokesperson for the Argentinian producer confirmed to ICIS on Tuesday. Brazil’s higher chemicals import tariffs kick off Brazil’s higher import tariffs on dozens of chemicals kicked off on Tuesday after the government published them on the Official Gazette late on Monday. Brazil’s Senate approves EU Reach-like rules to increase chemicals control Brazil’s Senate approved on 15 October the creation of a National Inventory of Chemical Substances aiming at “reducing negative impacts” of toxic chemicals on human and environmental health. PRICING Mexico PE domestic prices lower on weak demand, ample supplyDomestic polyethylene (PE) prices dropped in Mexico due to weak demand and ample supply. In other Latin American countries, prices were unchanged. Brazil hydrous and anhydrous ethanol sales surgeIn Brazil, 1.73 billion liters of hydrous ethanol were sold by Center-South units, representing a 4.36% increase over the same period in the previous harvest. This expansion demonstrates the domestic market's ongoing need for hydrous ethanol. Dow plans maintenance at LLDPE unit in Argentina – sourcesDow is having a scheduled maintenance at its linear 310,000 tonne/year low-density polyethylene (LLDPE) plant in Bahia Blanca, Argentina, until 5 November, according to market sources. Chile, Peru international PP prices drop on lower Chinese offers International polypropylene (PP) prices dropped in Chile and Peru on the back of lower offers from China. Chinese offers retreated this week, after rising the previous week due to higher crude oil prices.

21-Oct-2024

HOUSTON (ICIS)–Here are the top stories from ICIS News from the week ended 18 October. IPEX: Global spot index rises again on increases in NE Asia The global spot ICIS Petrochemical Index (IPEX) rose for the second consecutive week in the week ended 11 October, by 0.3%, again due to price increases in northeast Asia. Argentina’s Rio Tercero shuts TDI plant on global oversupply Petroquimica Rio Tercero has shut its toluene di-isocyanate (TDI) plant in Cordoba on the back of global oversupply, a spokesperson for the Argentinian producer confirmed to ICIS on Tuesday. Brazil’s Senate approves EU Reach-like rules to increase chemicals control Brazil’s Senate approved on 15 October the creation of a National Inventory of Chemical Substances aiming at “reducing negative impacts” of toxic chemicals on human and environmental health. INSIGHT: Decarbonized chemicals, plastics gain momentum with multiple production pathways Momentum is building in the zero-to-low carbon chemicals and plastics space with many different pathways to production that will give customers more options to reduce their carbon footprint. US Ascend to close South Carolina plant, move polymer production to Florida Ascend Performance Materials plans to shut down its remaining operations Greenwood, South Carolina, and move the site's polymer production to its complex in Pensacola, Florida, US-based nylon producer said on Friday.

21-Oct-2024

SAO PAULO (ICIS)–Petroquimica Rio Tercero has shut its toluene di-isocyanate (TDI) plant in Cordoba on the back of global oversupply, a spokesperson for the Argentinian producer confirmed to ICIS on Tuesday. The plant had a production capacity of 28,000 tonnes/year of TDI, which is a key feedstock to produce polyurethane foam. Production there stopped on 14 October. Rio Tercero said it would dismiss 1,250 employees. “This decision [to shut the TDI plant] is mainly due to the transformation the sector has undergone worldwide, with the emergence of large-scale plants, especially in Asia, which are producing an oversupply of TDI which caused global prices to fall abruptly in recent years,” said the company. “Another determining factor is the limited production capacity of our Rio Tercero plant, which makes it impossible to compete with larger global companies.” The spokesperson said Rio Tercero would now “become a TDI trader” to ensure the continuity of the company, given that it will still need the product to produce polyaluminum chloride (PAC), an inorganic coagulant used in water purification. The company's PAC production capacity stands at 58,000 tonnes/year, according to the spokesperson. As well as PAC, Rio Tercero also produces sodium hypochlorite, with a production capacity of 97,500 tonnes/year, and sodium hydroxide, with a production capacity of 11,000 tonnes/year. All the remaining production plants are operating normally, the spokesperson said. The company is a subsidiary of Buenos Aires-based Grupo Piero. According to local media reports, the provincial government has contacted the union to express its support to the plant’s workers, but it remains unclear whether the government could make any significant intervention to avoid the closure. EASIER TO SHUT PLANTSUnder the new Administration of Javier Milei which took office in December 2023, labor laws have been eased and firing employees has now become easier for companies. Earlier in October, US chemicals major Dow also said it would stop producing polyether polyols at its site in San Lorenzo, in Argentina’s province of Santa Fe, on the back of poor economics. The company had already tried to close that plant earlier, but pressure from the trade unions and tighter labor regulations at the time made the company backtrack in its plans. According to the ICIS Supply & Demand Database (ISDD), with Rio Tercero’s TDI Plant now shut and Dow’s in the process of shutting its polyols facility, no company in Argentina will produce any isocyanates or polyether polyols. Consequently, companies producing polyurethane (PU) will have to import all their inputs, among other examples. Rigid PU foams are used mainly in insulation, refrigeration, packaging and construction, while flexible PU foams have applications such as upholstery, mattresses and seats. Polyols can also be used in elastomers, adhesives, coatings and fibers. Front page picture: Petroquimica Rio Tercero’s facilities south of Cordoba city, Argentina Source: Petroquimica Rio Tercero Additional reporting by Al Greenwood

15-Oct-2024

HOUSTON (ICIS)–Nearly 3.4 million outages have been reported in Florida in the aftermath of Hurricane Milton, which made landfall as a powerful Category 3 hurricane near Sarasota, Florida, south of the important fertilizer hub of Tampa. Milton may have caused more damage had it passed over Tampa, according to CoreLogic, an insurance data company. RAIL UPDATERailroad company CSX said it has relocated all of its locomotives and cars from low-lying areas in Tampa and rerouted them. CSX operations will continue in and out of Waycross from the north, east and west directions. It will continue operating into and out of the intermodal ramps at Jacksonville, Florida. On 8 October, CSX said it had taken the following steps. Closed the Central Florida ILC intermodal gate. Closed the Tampa, FL intermodal gate. Closed the TRANSFLO terminals at Tampa, Tampa Port and Sanford. Another railroad company, Norfolk Southern, has not updated its notice from 7 October, when it said it was monitoring and preparing for Hurricane Milton. FLORIDA PORTS REMAIN CLOSEDMany ports in Florida have maintained their Zulu port conditions, which means they are closed to inbound and outbound vessels. The following table summarizes the conditions among the major ports in Florida. Port Status Condition Port of Pensacola Open Normal Port Panama City Open Draft restrictions Port St Joe Open Normal Port Tampa Bay Closed Zulu SeaPort Manatee Closed Zulu PortMiami Open Yankee Port Everglades Open Yankee Port of Palm Beach Closed Zulu Fort Pierce Closed Zulu Port Canaveral Closed Zulu Jaxport Closed Zulu Port of Fernandina Closed Zulu Source: US Coast Guard. IMPACT ON FERTILIZERS, PHOSPHATES, CHEMSFor chemicals, there is some epoxy resin, phenolic resin and unsaturated polyester resin (UPR) production in Lakeland and Kathleen, Florida. Milton will make landfall far from Pensacola, Florida, which has plants that make nylon and thermoset resins. Tampa is an important hub for the US fertilizer industry, hosting corporate offices, trading, product storage, shipping and other logistical operations. Fertilizer producer Mosaic has its headquarters in Tampa. The company has not issued any statements regarding its corporate operations. A source at the fertilizer company Yara said it was shutting down its Tampa offices to comply with the evacuation orders. Near Tampa is Florida's phosphate mining operations in Bone Valley, which covers parts of Hardee, Hillsborough, Manatee and Polk counties. In all, Florida has 27 phosphate mines, of which nine are active, according to the Florida Department of Environmental Protection. Canadian fertilizer producer Nutrien has yet to restart its White Springs phosphate operations following Helene, an earlier hurricane that made landfall farther north in Florida’s Big Bend region. On 30 September, Mosaic said its Riverview operations were off line following water intrusion from a storm surge caused by Hurricane Helene. POSSIBLE DAMAGEHurricane Milton could be extremely destructive because of its winds, rainfall and storm surge. It will pass over the following metropolitan statistical areas. Region Population Tampa 3,342,963 Orlando 2,817,933 Jacksonville 1,713,240 Sarasota 910,108 Source: US Census Bureau CoreLogic, the insurance data company, said Milton’s shift to the south of Tampa could limit the magnitude of insured losses. CHEMS AND RECONSTRUCTIONFor hurricanes in general, reconstruction can translate into increased demand for many chemicals and polymers. The white pigment titanium dioxide (TiO2) is used in paints. Solvents used in paints and coatings include butyl acetate (butac), butyl acrylate (butyl-A), ethyl acetate (etac), glycol ethers, methyl ethyl ketone (MEK) and isopropanol (IPA). Blends of aliphatic and aromatic solvents are also used to make paints and coatings. For polymers, expandable polystyrene (EPS) and polyurethane (PU) foam are used in insulation. PUs are made of methylene diphenyl diisocyanate (MDI), toluene diisocyanate (TDI) and polyols. High-density polyethylene (HDPE) is used in pipes. Polyvinyl chloride (PVC) is used to make cladding, window frames, wires and cables, flooring and roofing membranes. Unsaturated polyester resins (UPRs) are used to make coatings and composites. Vinyl acetate monomer (VAM) is used to make paints and adhesives.

10-Oct-2024

HOUSTON (ICIS)–Railroad company CSX is suspending operations at several of its intermodal and TRANSFLO terminals in Florida ahead of Milton, which has shifted its path away from Tampa, a major fertilizer hub. If Milton maintains its latest forecasted path, it could spare Tampa of the worst damage, according to CoreLogic, an insurance data company. Milton's maximum sustained winds are nearly 145 miles/h (230 km/h), making it a Category 4 hurricane, according to the National Hurricane Center (NHC). Milton is expected to weaken to a Category 3 hurricane and make landfall later on Wednesday south of Tampa near Sarasota, Florida, CoreLogic said. Milton will then pass over central Florida. RAIL DISRUPTIONSRail shipments through the Tampa area will likely face delays until Milton passes, CSX said. It expects multiple downed trees and power outages in the Wildwood, Lakeland and surrounding Tampa subdivisions. Lakeland and nearby Kathleen are near Tampa and are home to some thermoset resin plants. CSX has taken the following actions: Closed the Central Florida ILC intermodal gate. Closed the Tampa, FL intermodal gate. Closed the TRANSFLO terminals at Tampa and Tampa Port. Will close the Sanford TRANSFLO terminal midday on Wednesday. Another railroad company, Norfolk Southern, has not updated its notice from 7 October, when it said that it is monitoring and preparing for Hurricane Milton. MORE PORTS CLOSESome of Florida's ports on the Atlantic coast have set conditions to Zulu, meaning that they are closed to inbound and outbound vessels. The following table summarizes the port conditions along the eastern and western coasts of Florida. Port Status Condition Port of Pensacola Open Port Panama City Open X-Ray Port St Joe Open X-Ray Port Tampa Bay Closed Zulu SeaPort Manatee Closed Zulu PortMiami Open Yankee Port Everglades Open Yankee Port of Palm Beach Closed Zulu Fort Pierce Closed Zulu Port Canaveral Closed Zulu Jaxport Closed Zulu Port of Fernandina Closed Zulu Source: ports, US Coast Guard IMPACT ON FERTILIZERS, PHOSPHATES, CHEMSFor chemicals, there is some epoxy resin, phenolic resin and unsaturated polyester resin (UPR) production in Lakeland and Kathleen, Florida. Milton will make landfall far from Pensacola, Florida, which has plants that make nylon and thermoset resins. Tampa is an important hub for the US fertilizer industry, hosting corporate offices, trading, product storage, shipping and other logistical operations. Fertilizer producer Mosaic has its headquarters in Tampa. The company has not issued any statements regarding its corporate operations. A source at the fertilizer company Yara said it was shutting down its Tampa offices to comply with the evacuation orders. Near Tampa is Florida's phosphate mining operations in Bone Valley, which covers parts of Hardee, Hillsborough, Manatee and Polk counties. In all, Florida has 27 phosphate mines, of which nine are active, according to the Florida Department of Environmental Protection. Canadian fertilizer producer Nutrien has yet to restart its White Springs phosphate operations following Helene, an earlier hurricane that made landfall farther north in Florida's Big Bend region. On 30 September, Mosaic said its Riverview operations were offline following water intrusion from a storm surge caused by Hurricane Helene. POSSIBLE DAMAGEHurricane Milton could be extremely destructive because of its winds, rainfall and storm surge. It will pass over the following metropolitan statistical areas. Region Population Tampa 3,342,963 Orlando 2,817,933 Jacksonville 1,713,240 Sarasota 910,108 Source: US Census Bureau The following map shows the expected path of Milton. Source: National Hurricane Center CoreLogic, the insurance data company, said Milton's shift to the south of Tampa could limit the magnitude of insured losses. The following map compares three insured loss scenarios based on Milton's path. Source: CoreLogic The following map shows Milton's expected storm surges. Source: National Hurricane Center. The following map shows three-day rain totals. Source: CoreLogic CHEMS AND RECONSTRUCTIONFor hurricanes in general, reconstruction can translate to increased demand for many chemicals and polymers. The white pigment titanium dioxide (TiO2) is used in paints. Solvents used in paints and coatings include butyl acetate (butac), butyl acrylate (butyl-A), ethyl acetate (etac), glycol ethers, methyl ethyl ketone (MEK) and isopropanol (IPA). Blends of aliphatic and aromatic solvents are also used to make paints and coatings. For polymers, expandable polystyrene (EPS) and polyurethane (PU) foam are used in insulation. Polyurethanes are made of methylene diphenyl diisocyanate (MDI), toluene diisocyanate (TDI) and polyols. High density polyethylene (HDPE) is used in pipe. Polyvinyl chloride (PVC) is used to make cladding, window frames, wires and cables, flooring and roofing membranes. Unsaturated polyester resins (UPR) are used to make coatings and composites. Vinyl acetate monomer (VAM) is used to make paints and adhesives. Thumbnail shows an image of Hurricane Milton. Image by the National Hurricane Center. 

09-Oct-2024

HOUSTON (ICIS)–Ports along Florida's Gulf Coast are closed to vessel traffic as Milton approaches the state's fertilizer hub in Tampa as a Category 4 hurricane. Port Tampa Bay and the nearby SeaPort Manatee have set Port Condition Zulu, which means that they are shut down to inbound and outbound vessel traffic. The following table shows the conditions of some of the ports in Florida. Port Status Condition SeaPort Manatee Closed Zulu Port Tampa Bay Closed Zulu PortMiami Open Yankee Port Everglades Open Yankee Port of Palm Beach Open Yankee Fort Pierce Open Yankee Port Canaveral Open Yankee Jaxport Open Yankee Port of Fernandina Open Yankee Source: Ports, US Coast Guard LANDFALL ON WEDNESDAYMilton is expected to make landfall on Wednesday near Tampa, Florida, after weakening to a Category 3 hurricane, according to the meteorological firm AccuWeather. Milton will remain a major hurricane when it makes landfall, with maximum sustained wind speeds of 111-129 miles/hour (178-208 km/hour). The following map shows the expected path of Milton Source: National Hurricane Center IMPACT ON FERTILIZERS, PHOSPHATES, CHEMSFor chemicals, there is some epoxy resin, phenolic resin and unsaturated polyester resin production in Lakeland and Kathleen, Florida. Both are near Tampa. Milton will make landfall far from Pensacola, Florida, which has plants that make nylon and thermoset resins. Tampa is an important hub for the US fertilizer industry, hosting corporate offices, trading, product storage, shipping and other logistical operations. Fertilizer producer Mosaic has its headquarters in Tampa. The company has not issued any statements regarding its corporate operations. A source at the fertilizer company Yara said it was shutting down its Tampa offices to comply with the evacuation orders. Near Tampa is Florida's phosphate mining operations in Bone Valley, which covers parts of Hardee, Hillsborough, Manatee and Polk counties. In all, Florida has 27 phosphate mines, of which nine are active, according to the Florida Department of Environmental Protection. Canadian fertilizer producer Nutrien has yet to restart its White Springs phosphate operations following Helene, an earlier hurricane that made landfall farther north in Florida's Big Bend region. On 30 September, Mosaic said its Riverview operations were offline following water intrusion from a storm surge caused by Hurricane Helene. RAIL CONTINUES RUNNINGOn 7 October, CSX said it is maintaining normal operations at its yards and terminals. Meanwhile, the railroad company is putting its safety protocols in place. Also on 7 October, Norfolk Southern warned customers to prepare for delays if they have shipments moving through the southeastern US. RECONSTRUCTION FOLLOWING MILTONHurricane Milton could be extremely destructive because of its winds, rainfall and storm surge. It will pass over the following metropolitan statistical areas. Region Population Tampa 3,342,963 Orlando 2,817,933 Jacksonville 1,713,240 Sarasota 910,108 Source: US Census Bureau Tampa and Sarasota could suffer storm surges of 10-15 feet (3.0-4.6 meters), according to the National Hurricane Center. Storm surges of 3-5 feet could hit the areas from Port Canaveral northwards, including Jacksonville, Florida. AccuWeather warned that the hardest hit areas could have storm surges of 23 feet. "We are very concerned that Hurricane Milton could become one of the most damaging and costliest storms that Florida has ever seen," said Jon Porter, AccuWeather chief meteorologist. “Our forecast for 120 miles per hour to 140 miles per hour wind gusts will result in significant destruction. We expect roofs to fail, as well as long-lasting and widespread power outages. These damaging winds will push inland right along the Interstate 4 corridor,” For hurricanes in general, reconstruction can translate to increased demand for many chemicals and polymers. The white pigment titanium dioxide (TiO2) is used in paints. Solvents used in paints and coatings include butyl acetate (butac), butyl acrylate (butyl-A), ethyl acetate (etac), glycol ethers, methyl ethyl ketone (MEK) and isopropanol (IPA). Blends of aliphatic and aromatic solvents are also used to make paints and coatings. For polymers, expandable polystyrene (EPS) and polyurethane (PU) foam are used in insulation. Polyurethanes are made of methylene diphenyl diisocyanate (MDI), toluene diisocyanate (TDI) and polyols. High density polyethylene (HDPE) is used in pipe. Polyvinyl chloride (PVC) is used to make cladding, window frames, wires and cables, flooring and roofing membranes. Unsaturated polyester resins (UPR) are used to make coatings and composites. Vinyl acetate monomer (VAM) is used to make paints and adhesives. POTENTIAL FOR DISRUPTION TO GULF OILHurricane Helene disrupted US oil and gas production in the Gulf of Mexico even though it passed through the eastern portion of the body of water. Hurricane Milton could have the same potential as it approaches the US. Additional reporting by Mark Milam Thumbnail shows Hurricane Milton. Image by National Hurricane Center.

08-Oct-2024

HOUSTON (ICIS)–Milton strengthened on Monday into a powerful Category 4 hurricane, and it is expected to continue strengthening before making landfall by midweek near Tampa, Florida, a major fertilizer hub that was drenched by an earlier major hurricane. That earlier hurricane, Helene, made landfall on September 26 far to the north of Tampa. However, Tampa still saw storm surges of 6-10 feet (1.8-3.0 meters), according to AccuWeather, a meteorology firm. Tampa and other ports along Florida's Gulf Coast had shut down because of Helene. AccuWeather estimates that Hurricane Helene caused $225 billion to $250 billion of damage and economic loss in Florida and the southeastern US. As of September 30, fertilizer companies were assessing the damage caused by Hurricane Helene. A week later, they will now prepare for another major hurricane that will pose a greater risk. AccuWeather is warning that, due to Milton, the Tampa Bay region could be hit by a storm surge of 10-15 feet, wind gusts of 120-140 miles/hour (193-225 miles/hour) and more than 2 feet (60 cm) of rain. "Milton may be a historic, once-in-a-lifetime storm for Floridians," said Jon Porter, AccuWeather chief meteorologist. "Milton has the potential to become one of Florida's most damaging and costly hurricanes." For Tampa, the magnitude of Milton's storm surge will depend on its path, according to AccuWeather. If it makes landfall south of Tampa, it will cause dangerous, but not extreme, storm surges. If landfall is north of Tampa, parts of the Bay could suffer from storm surges of 20 feet, AccuWeather said. FERTILIZER HUB, PHOSPHATES AT RISKTampa is an important hub for the US fertilizer industry, hosting corporate offices, trading, product storage, shipping and other logistical operations. Near Tampa is Florida's phosphate mining operations in Bone Valley, which covers parts of Hardee, Hillsborough, Manatee and Polk counties. In all, Florida has 27 phosphate mines, of which nine are active, according to the Florida Department of Environmental Protection. For chemicals, there is some epoxy resin, phenolic resin and unsaturated polyester resin production in Lakeland and Kathleen, Florida. Both are near Tampa. Milton will make landfall far from Pensacola, Florida, which has plants that make nylon and thermoset resins. PORT TAMPA BAY REMAINS OPENPort Tampa Bay remains open to inbound and outbound vessel traffic, but it has set Port Condition X-RAY. That means gale force winds that could disrupt maritime operations could occur in the next 48 hours. SeaPort Manatee, a deepwater port on Tampa Bay, also set Port Condition X-Ray. It handled bulk, breakbulk and container traffic. RAIL STILL RECOVERING FROM HELENEOn October 4, railroad company CSX warned customers to expect delays despite progress in restoring power and clearing trees. Disruptions to operations are concentrated in the Carolinas. Railroad company Norfolk Southern said it has already started monitoring Hurricane Milton, although its lines are operating as scheduled. POTENTIAL FOR DISRUPTION TO GULF OILHurricane Helene disrupted US oil and gas production in the Gulf of Mexico even though it passed through the eastern portion of the body of water. Hurricane Milton could have the same potential as it approaches the US. RECONSTRUCTION DEMAND FOR CHEMSFor hurricanes in general, reconstruction can translate to increased demand for many chemicals and polymers. The white pigment titanium dioxide (TiO2) is used in paints. Solvents used in paints and coatings include butyl acetate (butac), butyl acrylate (butyl-A), ethyl acetate (etac), glycol ethers, methyl ethyl ketone (MEK) and isopropanol (IPA). Blends of aliphatic and aromatic solvents are also used to make paints and coatings. For polymers, expandable polystyrene (EPS) and polyurethane (PU) foam are used in insulation. Polyurethanes are made of methylene diphenyl diisocyanate (MDI), toluene diisocyanate (TDI) and polyols. High density polyethylene (HDPE) is used in pipe. Polyvinyl chloride (PVC) is used to make cladding, window frames, wires and cables, flooring and roofing membranes. Unsaturated polyester resins (UPR) are used to make coatings and composites. Vinyl acetate monomer (VAM) is used to make paints and adhesives. Thumbnail shows the forecasts path of Hurricane Milton. Image by the National Hurricane Center.

07-Oct-2024

LONDON (ICIS)–Ahead of the approaching European Petrochemical Conference (EPCA) in Berlin 7-10 October, ICIS editors discuss market conditions in a variety of solvent markets. Market updates on methyl ethyl ketone (MEK), methyl isobutyl ketone (MIBK), isopropanol (IPA), phenol, acetone, toluene, mixed xylenes, glycol ethers and propylene glycol ethers, butyl acetate and ethyl acetate Trade flows and impact of freight rate movements Overcapacity versus low demand levels Upcoming maintenance programs In this episode, Jane Massingham talks to editors Nick Cleeve, Jane Gibson, Zubair Adam, Cameron Birch and Marion Boakye.

27-Sep-2024

HOUSTON (ICIS)–More than 4 million outages were reported in the southeastern US on Friday after Hurricane Helene made landfall as a powerful Category 4 storm in northwestern Florida. The southeastern US does not have a lot of chemical production. But such widespread power outages, in addition to disruptions caused by flooding, will lower demand for plastics and chemicals more broadly. The power outages are concentrated in the US states of South Carolina, Georgia, Florida and North Carolina, according to the website poweroutage.us. Among the few chemical plants near Helene's landfall site are a crude sulphate turpentine refinery and a crude tall oil (CTO) refinery that Kraton owns in Panama City, Florida. Tall oil is a feedstock fatty acids, renewable diesel and sustainable aviation fuel (SAF). Kraton has not returned requests for comment in regard to its preparations for Helene. Since Helene made landfall, it has weakened into a tropical storm, with maximum sustained wind speeds of 45 miles/hour (75 km/hour), according to the National Hurricane Center. The following map shows its projected path. Source: National Hurricane Center PORT CLOSURESInbound and outbound traffic at Port Tampa Bay ceased ahead of the storm, and the port's shipping channels were closed. Tampa is an important hub for the US fertilizer industry, hosting corporate offices, trading, product storage, shipping and other logistical operations. Other port closures include Panama City, St Joe, St Petersburg, Manatee and Key West on Florida's west coast, as well as Fernandina, Jacksonville and Canaveral on Florida's east coast. ENERGY DISRUPTIONS The following table shows the disruptions to US Gulf production that were caused by Helene, according to the Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement (BSEE). Total % of US Gulf Oil, bbl/day 441,923 25.25% Gas, million cubic feet/day 363.39 19.81% Source: BSEE Total % of US Gulf Platforms evacuated 27 7.28% Rigs evacuated 1 20% Source: BSEE The Gulf of Mexico accounts for 14% of US production of crude oil and 5% of total dry gas production, according to the Energy Information Administration (EIA). RAIL DISRUPTIONS Railroad company CSX planned to close its TRANSFLO terminals in Tampa and Tampa Port on Thursday. Railroad company Norfolk Southern said that customers with shipments moving through the southeast and mid-Atlantic should prepare for delays. RECONSTRUCTION AND CHEM DEMANDHurricane Helene's current path could put $5.64 billion worth of housing at risk to storm surge flooding, an insurance data company said on Wednesday. Nearly 25,000 residential properties in the Tallahassee and Homosassa Springs metropolitan areas are at risk, said CoreLogic. “Helene has the potential to become a once-in-a-generation storm,” said Jon Porter, chief meteorologist for the meteorology firm AccuWeather. It estimates that most of Florida and much of the southeastern US will be exposed to winds reaching 40-60 miles/hour. AccuWeather expects that most of Florida and all of the states of Georgia, South Carolina and North Carolina are at risk for tornados. For hurricanes in general, reconstruction can translate to increased demand for many chemicals and polymers. The white pigment titanium dioxide (TiO2) is used in paints. Solvents used in paints and coatings include butyl acetate (butac), butyl acrylate (butyl-A), ethyl acetate (etac), glycol ethers, methyl ethyl ketone (MEK) and isopropanol (IPA). Blends of aliphatic and aromatic solvents are also used to make paints and coatings. For polymers, expandable polystyrene (EPS) and polyurethane (PU) foam are used in insulation. Polyurethanes are made of methylene diphenyl diisocyanate (MDI), toluene diisocyanate (TDI) and polyols. High density polyethylene (HDPE) is used in pipe. Polyvinyl chloride (PVC) is used to make cladding, window frames, wires and cables, flooring and roofing membranes. Unsaturated polyester resins (UPR) are used to make coatings and composites. Vinyl acetate monomer (VAM) is used to make paints and adhesives. Thumbnail shows Helene before it made landfall. Image by National Hurricane Center.

27-Sep-2024