Zhejiang Satellite restarted ethane cracker, HDPE, and SM plant in China
Interestingly, Zhejiang Satellite Lianyungang decided to bring online its styrene monomer (SM) plant after being shut down on 01 December 2023 due to thin profit margins.
Zhejiang Satellite Lianyungang has reportedly completed a 47-day overhaul at its ethane cracker in Zhejiang province, China. The unit resumed operation on 19 May 2024 and is currently in the process of ramping up utilisation rates.
The cracker produces 1.25 million tons/year of ethylene.
Alongside the cracker, the maker also resumed operations at its downstream plants, including a 200,000 tons/year MEG plant, a 900,000 tons/year EO plant, and an 800,000 tons/year HDPE plant.
Interestingly, Zhejiang Satellite Lianyungang decided to bring online its 600,000 tons/year styrene monomer (SM) plant on 25 April 2024, after being shut down on 01 December 2023 due to thin profit margins.
Market sources expected the maker to prioritise ethylene feeds to the SM plant moving forward, which would curtail the spot ethylene allocation from the producer.