The Urethane Blog

February 17, 2021

Stepan Price Increase

February 15, 2021


Dear Customer:


Effective April 1, 2021, or as contracts allow, Stepan will increase the price for STEPANPOL® and TERATE® Rigid Polyester Polyols used in the Americas by $0.07 per pound. This increase is necessary due to rising raw material and transportation costs.


We appreciate your support and value your continued business. Your Stepan sales representative will be in contact with you to address any questions or concerns.

February 17, 2021

Oxiteno Force Majeure

February 17, 2021

Oxiteno Force Majeure

February 17, 2021

Gulf Coast Update

US Gulf Coast ice storms cause chems production freeze

Author: Tom Brown

2021/02/16

LONDON (ICIS)–An almost unprecedented polar storm sweeping across the US Gulf Coast states has led to shutdowns and production cuts at a swathe of petrochemicals plants and refineries in the area, as well as throttling transport and leaving millions without power.

Temperatures in the Houston petrochemicals hub remained at -8 degrees Celsius (17 degrees Fahrenheit) on Tuesday morning local time, some of the coldest conditions on records on the region.

Freezing conditions have been recorded across much of the central US.

With petrochemicals complexes in Texas and Louisiana more set up for intense heat through much of the year rather than sub-zero conditions, players across the region have moved to limit or shut down production entirely.

On 15 February news emerged of Motiva, Marathon and CITGO announcing refinery shutdowns, while Total shut off its coker and crude distillation units at Port Arthur.

LyondellBasell reported operating its Houston refinery and methyl tertiary butyl ether (MTBE) complex at minimum rates due to the weather, while TPC has shut down its Houston butadiene unit due to steam loss.

OQ Chem declared force majeure at its Bay City, Texas, complex due to the weather on Tuesday.

https://www.icis.com/explore/resources/news/2021/02/16/10606716/us-gulf-coast-ice-storms-cause-chems-production-freeze

February 17, 2021

Gulf Coast Update

US Gulf Coast ice storms cause chems production freeze

Author: Tom Brown

2021/02/16

LONDON (ICIS)–An almost unprecedented polar storm sweeping across the US Gulf Coast states has led to shutdowns and production cuts at a swathe of petrochemicals plants and refineries in the area, as well as throttling transport and leaving millions without power.

Temperatures in the Houston petrochemicals hub remained at -8 degrees Celsius (17 degrees Fahrenheit) on Tuesday morning local time, some of the coldest conditions on records on the region.

Freezing conditions have been recorded across much of the central US.

With petrochemicals complexes in Texas and Louisiana more set up for intense heat through much of the year rather than sub-zero conditions, players across the region have moved to limit or shut down production entirely.

On 15 February news emerged of Motiva, Marathon and CITGO announcing refinery shutdowns, while Total shut off its coker and crude distillation units at Port Arthur.

LyondellBasell reported operating its Houston refinery and methyl tertiary butyl ether (MTBE) complex at minimum rates due to the weather, while TPC has shut down its Houston butadiene unit due to steam loss.

OQ Chem declared force majeure at its Bay City, Texas, complex due to the weather on Tuesday.

https://www.icis.com/explore/resources/news/2021/02/16/10606716/us-gulf-coast-ice-storms-cause-chems-production-freeze