Market and product

Saudi International Petrochemical Company (Sipchem) has cut the operating rates of its acetic acid and ethyl acetate (etact) plants in Jubail because of a technical issue at a carbon monoxide plant.

The technical issue at the carbon monoxide plant belonging to International Gases Co occurred on 11 August and “may continue until the third week of August”, Sipchem said in a filing on the Saudi bourse, Tadawul, on 14 August.

Current operating rates of the units were not disclosed.

“The technical teams are currently fully focused on resolving this issue to restore full operating capacity of carbon monoxide plant,” it said.

Sipochem affiliate International Acetate Company runs the 400,000 tonnes/year acetic acid plant in Jubail.

The plant uses carbon monoxide as feedstock to some of its products, according to Sipchem.

According to ICIS Plants and Projects, Sipchem's ethyl acetate plant operated has a production capacity of 50,000 tonnes/year.