South African petrochemical producer Sasol expects to start up a low-density polyethylene (LDPE) unit at its Lake Charles Chemicals Project (LCCP) in Louisiana by September, market sources informed SSESSMENTS.COM. The 420,000 tons/year unit was damaged by an explosion and fire which occurred at its high-pressure section during a commissioning process on January 13. In February, Sasol said the LDPE plant completion would be delayed until the second half of 2020.
Previously, SSESSMENTS.COM reported that Sasol’s 30,000 tons/year Guerbet alcohol and 173,000 mt/year Ziegler alcohol plants have recently achieved beneficial operations. Sasol defines beneficial operations as 72 uninterrupted hours of on-specification production. Sasol’s LCCP now has six online units that represent more than 86% of the complex’s total production.
