China's Shenhua XinJiang successfully startup MTO plants

According to market sources, Shenhua XinJiang Coal-based New Materials Project has successfully started up their MTO production today.

Located at Urumqi, China, the company has a 450,000 ton/year coal-based PP unit and a 270,000 ton/year coal-based PE (LDPE) unit. The plant is designed to produce 1.8 million tons/year methanol. The on-spec olefins is expected to be out within 4-5 days and following by the startup of PP and PE units which is expected on 2 October 2016.

According to a source closed to the company, if everything goes smoothly, the production is expected to continue until 20 October 2016 and shut for a brief maintenance, which will be following by the restart schedule on 15 November 2016 and expected to continue production up to July 2017.