OREANDA-NEWS. Thailand's state-controlled PTT Global Chemical (PTTGC) plans to restart its two Mab Ta Phut-based aromatics plants from mid-October following a turnaround and debottlenecking exercise.

The producer started the turnaround at the complex, which was originally scheduled for December, in August following a disruption at its No.2 aromatics unit.

PTTGC plans to increase its benzene and paraxylene (PX) production by 40,000 t/yr and 110,000 t/yr respectively at the No.2 unit following the debottlenecking. It previously had a total capacity of 800,000 t/yr of benzene and 1.2mn t/yr of PX at the No.1 and No.2 units.

PTTGC was forced to take off line its No.2 aromatics unit from the end of July and declare a force majeure because of technical problems at the feedstock unit, forcing it to bring forward the planned turnaround.