Unipetrol ethylene unit at full capacity with coldbox

01 May '08

1 min read

UNIPETROL RPA's ethylene unit is now operating at full capacity; its cooling system – coldbox – was started. The installation of the repaired coldbox took place without production interruption and the ethylene unit was not shut down. The estimated impact of the non-function coldbox on 1Q 2008 EBIT is approximately CZK 30 million.

Only the production of benzene was interrupted for one day during the installation of the coldbox; the installation began at the end of March. The production of ethylene and propylene was not interrupted.

A serious defect of the complex cooling system, PA 701, was detected late last October during the start-up of the ethylene unit following the planned shutdown. As a result the ethylene unit had been in operation without the part of the cooling system since December.

Since December, the production of ethylene had stabilised at 512 kt per year while the production of benzene was reduced to 80% - 90% of the annual capacity 200 kt from December to March. Following the installation of the coldbox, the production of all products has gradually climbed up to the designed production capacity.

UNIPETROL a.s.

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