Total Petrochemicals La Porte, Texas unit started up: letter

New York — US polymer producer Total Petrochemicals & Refining USA said that its production unit at La Porte, Texas, is now producing polypropylene, Total Petrochemicals said in a letter Feb. 11 seen by S&P Global Platts.

"Our production unit that resulted in our force majeure declaration is now producing prime product," the letter said.

The complex was under force majeure for copolymer polypropylene products since Dec. 17 and previously said the restart of the unit was on schedule for Feb. 6 and had moved it up to Jan. 31.

The company has also said previously that it expects to be back to normal production in early-April.

The plant has nameplate capacity totaling 1.15 million mt/year of polypropylene, according to S&P Global Platts Analytics data. The letter indicated that the company is now producing prime product with its polypropylene unit.

The company was not available for immediate comment Feb. 11.

Platts last assessed on the week Feb. 10 for the co-polymer grade at $2,557/mt, $452 stronger with the premium to homopolymer grades talked widening to 3 cents. While the export homopolymer injection-grade polypropylene was $430 higher on the week Feb. 10 at $2,491/mt FAS Houston.