12 September 2006 – The Texan manufacturer of petrochemicals and polymers Westlake Chemical Corporation has announced an unscheduled shutdown of its Petro II ethylene unit in Lake Charles, Louisiana.
The company said that it had experienced mechanical problems with a compressor and related equipment, and expects the shutdown to continue until early October 2006. The cost to the company in terms of maintenance and lost revenue has been estimated at $20-25m.
While the Petro II unit is down, Westlake intends to complete a turnaround that had been scheduled for the end of this year or the beginning of next. It will also complete portions of its Feed-Flex project, which the company says will reduce energy costs and increase capacity.
With headquarters in Houston, Westlake has a range of products that include polyethylene, styrene, and PVC piping. In its first half results for 2006, it had a net income of $118.5m, up from $109.7m over the same period for 2005.
