OREANDA-NEWS. Thailand's state-controlled PTT Polyethylene (PTTPE) plans to shut down its 1mn t/yr ethane cracker at Rayong for maintenance in next year's first quarter.

The cracker is expected to be shut for 40-45 days. The specific timeframe for the shutdown is still being discussed.

The shutdown is unlikely to result in a shutdown in PTT's downstream polyethylene plants as they are having a series of maintenance shutdowns until November.

The company's 300,000 t/yr high-density polyethylene plant is currently having maintenance and is expected to restart early next month. PTT also plans to shut its 300,000 t/yr low-density polyethylene line in early October for two weeks. The 370,000 t/yr linear low-density polyethylene (LLDPE) plant will shut down in the second week of November. The duration of the LLDPE plant shutdown is not yet confirmed.

PTT has in total four ethylene production units, consisting of three ethane-based crackers and one naphtha cracker totaling around 2.4mn t/yr of production capacity.