|
|
Morning Briefing - 13 May. 2026Regional PE balances are showing early signs of tightening again as a fresh Southeast Asian production disruption threatens to reduce prompt HDPE availability heading into June. |
|
CommoPlast
Morning Briefing
13 May 2026
Brent: $107.77 (+ $3.56)
WTI: $102.18 (+ $4.11)
Naphtha CFR Japan: á
Ethylene CFR NEA: â
Ethylene CFR SEA: â
Propylene FOB Korea: Stable
Propylene CFR China: Stable
*Data represent closing prices of the previous trading day
……………………………………………………………….
LCN set to follow through on HDPE unit maintenance
Regional PE balances are showing early signs of tightening again as a fresh Southeast Asian production disruption threatens to reduce prompt HDPE availability heading into June. Market participants are increasingly monitoring the outage after Lotte Chemical Nusantara flagged a temporary shutdown affecting one HDPE unit at its Cilegon complex, reinforcing concerns that recent easing conditions may be reversing in Indonesia. The maintenance programme had been scheduled since March, though the timing is now drawing renewed attention as regional supply buffers continue to thin.
___________________________________________________
SK Energy brings forward CDU turnaround amid supply strains
SK Energy has accelerated maintenance at its Ulsan complex, bringing forward the shutdown of a major crude unit as operational disruptions continue to ripple through Northeast Asia’s refining system. The move means three crude distillation units at the site will remain offline simultaneously for part of May, reinforcing concerns over reduced product yields and tightening spot availability across regional fuel markets.
The earlier-than-expected shutdown also highlights how refiners are being pushed into increasingly fluid operating decisions as geopolitical disruptions and uneven crude flows continue to distort refinery economics. While one unit is expected to restart this month following earlier feedstock disruptions linked to the Iran conflict, the overlapping maintenance cycle is likely to keep regional supply conditions constrained near term, particularly if seasonal demand strengthens into June.
________________________________________________________
Follow us on CommoPlast Official Telegram Channel for more: https://t.me/commoplast
Country
India
About CommoPlast Asia Sdn Bhd.
Your empowering market insight site.
