CPChem reports Sweeny ethylene unit process upset in Texas

Petrotahlil:Chevron Phillips Chemical said Thursday that a sudden loss of power to the process control system at its Sweeny, Texas, facility resulted in a unit-wide process upset at its ethylene unit 24.

In a filing made available Thursday with the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, CPChem said emissions at the Sweeny facility began on Wednesday morning and ended about 24 hours later.

The Sweeney ethylene 24 unit has a capacity of 668,788 mt/year.

Market reaction to the unit upset has been thin, as US ethylene supply still remains long. One ethylene trader said "oversupply won't change the few days the cracker is out."

US March ethylene was assessed at 15 cents/lb FD USG on Wednesday, and was offered at 15.25 cents/lb FD USG early Thursday.