LG Chem Phenol Reduced Rate Run

LG Chem runs solvents plant at lower rates

Jul 12, 2025

LG Chem currently operates its phenol-and-acetone plant with reduced capacity. Sources in South Korea told a member of the team that "the company has operated the plant at about 80% of its production capacity since July 6, 2025." The cause of the production cut was not known. The solvents plant in Yeosu has a 300,000 mt/year phenol capacity and 180,000 mt/year acetone capacity

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Asia Pacific Sweet Crude Daily Market Analysis / Petco offers Muda, Cakerawala condensate for Sep loading / End Aug-early Sep loading NWS moves / ONGC Videsh offers Nile Blend crude for Sep loading / offered its Muda and Cakerawala condensate for September-loading via a tender that closes / Comparatively, Indonesia’s Pertamina was last heard to have purchased a cargo of / a South Korean buyer, according to several trade sources. The second-month gasoline and / at the July 17 Asian close, and averaged $19.22/b and 87 cents/b month to date, compared / with averages of $20.84/b and minus $3.91/b the month prior. In the medium-sweet crude / prices. In the Sudanese and South Sudanese crude complex, India’s ONGC Videsh was seen / in the $2s/b against the same benchmark. The South Korean government plans to expand its / by more than 20 million barrels, a move prompted by a domestic crude supply crisis that / in its “Economic Growth Strategy” report for the second half of 2026, seen by. The / capacity would strengthen energy independence and security, according to the latest data / of July 20. Elsewhere, crude oil loading operations at the Caspian Pipeline Consortium / terminal have been suspended following attacks on two tankers offshore the Black Sea port / not damaged in the attacks, in a statement posted on Instagram. Shipments via CPC have / Asia Light Sweet Crude Daily Rationale & Exclusions / ESPO FOB Kozmino Mo01 Spore vs Dubai Mo01 <AASEU00> assessment rationale: The ESPO
Middle East Sour Crude Daily Market Analysis / US-Iran hostilities escalate / Dubai differential flips into premium / June Omani crude exports fall 3.9% MOM to 25.72 mil barrels / firmed for a second day, with benchmark cash Dubai up $2.81/b day over day at $79.71/b at / the July 20 Asian close, while its differential against same-month Dubai futures was up / $1.05/b at a 75 cents/b premium. Oman’s crude oil exports fell 3.9% month over month but / Oman produced 34.37 million barrels of crude in June, down from a record-high of 36.33 / Mideast Sour Crude Daily Rationales & Exclusions / Dubai Mo01 <PCAAT00> assessment rationale: The September cash Dubai assessment July 20 / Oman Blend Mo01 <PCABS00> assessment rationale: The September cash Oman assessment / July 20 took into consideration the declaration of an Oman cargo on convergence of Dubai
US West Coast Light End Daily Commentary / California CARBOB prices rise 3 cents/gal / San Francisco hits highest level since July 9 / Gasoline imports of 1.12 million barrels head to state / Buying interest elevated the differential for California CARBOB grades July 20, despite / incoming gasoline imports, assessed the differential for San Francisco CARBOB at NYMEX / August RBOB futures plus 28 cents/gallon, up 3 cents, marking the highest price reported / since July 9. The differential for Los Angeles CARBOB followed a similar trend, also / hitting a six-month low of futures plus 15 cents/gal for San Francisco CARBOB and a five- / month low of futures plus 19 cents/gal for the Los Angeles counterpart. that 1.12 million
Asia and Middle East Fuel Oil Daily Market Analysis / LSFO market structure firmer, cash premium gains WOW / Benchmark 380 CST HSFO cash premium up on active trading / The Asian LSFO market structure was seen strengthening its backwardation further July 20, / buoyed by concerns over near-term supplies due to the re-escalating Middle East war. The / Singapore marine fuel 0.5% balance July- August swaps time spread was pegged at a firmer / backwardation of $40.25/metric ton in midmorning trading July 20, compared with of the / spread at $38.75/mt at the Asian close July 17. The M1-M2 intermonth spread for FOB / Singapore 0.5%S marine fuel swaps averaged a backwardation of $22.20/mt in the first half / of July, compared with an average of $19.27/mt in H2 June, data showed. the Singapore / marine fuel 0.5%S cargo’s cash differential over the Mean of Singapore marine fuel 0.5%S / assessments at a premium of $25.25/mt at the Asian close July 17, up $2/ mt day over day / and 27.2% week over week. In the downstream bunker market, the Singapore-delivered / marine fuel 0.5% bunker premium against the benchmark Singapore marine fuel 0.5%S cargo / values rose 40.3% week over week to $91.86/mt July 17, amid expectations of fewer / based traders. the spread between the Singapore 0.5%S marine fuel cargo and the FOB / Asia’s HSFO fundamentals also remain buoyed by dwindling supplies, but easing seasonal / strength in power generation consumption and sluggish feedstock demand from refiners / Singapore 380 CST HSFO August-September swaps time spread was pegged at a / spread at $12.25/mt at the Asian close July 17. the Singapore 380 CST HSFO cargo’s cash / differential to the MOPS 380 CST HSFO assessments at a premium of $3.75/mt at the Asian / lower by persistently competitive offers from Aramco Singapore during the Market on Close / assessment process in the week to July 17. The Singapore 180 CST HSFO cargo cash / differential to the MOPS 380 CST HSFO assessments remained unchanged day over day at a / FOB Singapore Marine Fuel 0.5% cargo Daily Rationale & Exclusions / Marine Fuel 0.5% FOB Spore cargo $/mt <AMFSA00> Assessment Rationale: The FOB / Marine Fuel 0.5%S August-September swaps time spread, which was assessed up / $2.25/metric ton day over day at a wider backwardation of $41/mt. This assessment / commentary applies to the market data codes Marine Fuel 0.5% FOB Spore cargo $/mt / <AMFSA00>. Exclusions: No market data was excluded from the July 20 Market on Close
Asia and Middle Eastern Gasoil Daily Market Analysis / US-Iran tensions boost Asian gasoil prices / Singapore gasoil M1/M2 swap timespread widens to $7.27/b / backwardation reflected a stronger market, as brokers pegged the front-month August- / September Singapore gasoil swaps time spread — an indicator of the near-term market / outlook — at $7.27/ barrel in midafternoon Asian trading July 20, widening compared to / day over day. Favorable West-bound arbitrage economics was heard supporting trading / Brokers pegged the front-month August gasoil EFS — the spread between Singapore 10 ppm / $96.72/metric ton in midafternoon trading July 20, narrower from minus $104.18/mt at July / unchanged on the day, against MOPAG gasoil assessments. “East-West has been extremely / Asia and Middle Eastern Gasoil Cargo Daily Rationale & Exclusions / Gasoil .001%S (10ppm) FOB Spore Cargo <AAOVC00> assessment rationale: The benchmark / FOB Singapore Gasoil 0.001% (10 ppm) cargo assessment July 20 was based on the following / input: an offer a cargo loading Aug. 4-8 at Mean of Singapore plus $2.49/barrel after / normalizing for deemed pricing. The front, middle and back loading windows were assessed / at MOPS plus $2.44/b, plus $3.40/b and plus $3.64/b, respectively. Gasoil .05%S (500ppm) / FOB Spore Cargo <AAFEX00> assessment rationale: The FOB Singapore Gasoil 0.05% (500 / ppm) cargo assessment July 20 was assessed at MOPS gasoil plus $2.22/b, down 11 cents/b / from intraday notional, based on the movement in the FOB Singapore Gasoil 0.001% (10 ppm) / cargo assessment. Gasoil FOB Spore Cargo <POABC00> assessment rationale: The benchmark / FOB Singapore Gasoil 0.001% (10 ppm) cargo assessment July 20 was based on the following / pricing. The front, middle and back loading windows were assessed at MOPS plus $2.44/b, / plus $3.40/b and plus $3.64/b respectively. Exclusions: No market data was excluded from / FOB Fujairah Gasoil Daily Rationale & Exclusions / Gasoil FOB Fujairah cargo <AFUJK00> assessment rationale: The FOB Fujairah Gasoil / assessment on July 20 was assessed at a premium of $10.50/b to the MOPAG gasoil / assessment, taking into consideration prices in the FOB Fujairah gasoil market as well as / $138.94/b. Gasoil 500 ppm FOB Fujairah cargo <AFUJN00> assessment rationale: The FOB / Fujairah 500 ppm Gasoil assessment on July 20 was assessed at a premium of $5.00/b to the
Asia and Middle Eastern Jet Daily Market Analysis / Physical crack spread near 3-month high / Pertamina seeks 200,000 barrels of jet A-1 fuel for July 23-25 delivery / Sentiment in the Asian jet fuel/kerosene market remained buoyant amid escalating US-Iran / through the waterway “as long as hostile actions of the US continue,” semi-official news / the front-month August-September FOB Singapore jet fuel/kerosene swaps time spread — an / brokers pegged the M1/M2 swap spread at plus $4.51/b. While some sources have voiced / concerns that disrupted traffic through the Strait of Hormuz could prompt governments to / clamp down harder on exports, others were of the view that strong refining margins would / won’t be low, but supply will be enough,” the source said. The FOB Singapore jet / fuel/kerosene cargo crack spread against front-month cash Dubai, which measures the / July 17, up $2.35/b day over day and $18.04/b week over week. The physical crack spread / Jakarta (SKH) over July 21-23, according to some market participants. Meanwhile, Taiwan’s / a premium of about low- to mid-$5s/b to the whole-month August average of Mean of / Asia & Middle East Jet Kero Daily Rationale & Exclusions / Jet Kero FOB Spore Cargo <PJABF00> assessment rationale: The FOB Singapore Jet / window was assessed at Mean of Singapore Jet fuel/kerosene assessment plus $2.50/b, based / on an offer for a cargo loading over Aug. 4-8 at MOPS plus $2.55/b, after normalizing for / deemed pricing. The middle and back loading windows were assessed at MOPS Jet / fuel/kerosene assessment plus $2.63/b and plus $2.47/b, respectively, reflecting the / movements in the front and middle loading windows. Jet Kero FOB Arab Gulf Cargo / <PJAAA00> assessment rationale: The FOB Arab Gulf Jet Kero cargo assessment was derived / as a freight netback from the FOB Singapore Jet Kero cargo assessment using the following / input: FOB Singapore Jet Kero cargo assessment minus the cost of transporting a 55,000-mt / data was excluded from the July 20 Singapore Jet fuel/kerosene Market on Close assessment / FOB Fujairah Jet Kero Rationale & Exclusions / recent cargo trades heard in the Middle East. The MOPAG jet fuel/kerosene strip was / $138.22/b. Exclusions: No market data was excluded from the July 20 Fujairah jet
Asia and Middle Eastern Naphtha Daily Market Analysis / Shipowners remain wary to transport naphtha through Straits of Hormuz / Kuwait oil industry site damaged following Iranian attacks / The Asian naphtha market July 20 was expected to strengthen as naphtha flows from the / production was not immediately affected by the strikes, any damage to oil industry / month August-September Mean of Japan swap time spread at $40.50/mt mid-morning July / Aramco Petrochemical Co. (Hapco) refinery is expected to begin trial operations around / to the 300,000 b/d refinery, the project includes an ethylene cracker with a production / Japan Naphtha Daily Rationales & Exclusions / Naphtha C+F Japan Cargo <PAAAD00> assessment rationale: The CFR Japan naphtha cargo / assessment July 20 took into consideration a bid for H1 September-H2 September at / of $202.30/mt. the H1 September-H2 September time spread at $14.25/mt and the H2 / September-H1 October time spread $23/mt. Naphtha FOB Spore Cargo <PAAAP00> / assessment rationale: The FOB Singapore naphtha assessment was derived as a freight / CFR Japan naphtha first cycle assessment minus the cost of transporting a 30,000-mt clean / cargo on the Singapore-to-Japan route. Naphtha FOB Arab Gulf Cargo <PAAAA00> assessment / rationale: The FOB Arab Gulf naphtha assessment was derived as a freight netback from the / CFR Japan naphtha marker using the following calculation: CFR Japan naphtha marker minus / Market on Close assessment process. No data was excluded from the July 20 Asian naphtha / FOB Fujairah Naphtha Daily Rationale & Exclusions / Naphtha FOB Fujairah <NFJSA00 > assessment rationale: The FOB Fujairah naphtha / assessment July 20 took into consideration the naphtha Mean of Arab Gulf strip value at / or trades in the FOB Fujairah naphtha Market on Close assessment process. The MOPAG / naphtha strip was calculated from the August MOPAG naphtha swap at $727.35/mt and the / September MOPAG naphtha swap at $686.55/mt. The cash differential took into
Aromatics News as on 21-Jul-2026 / Asia and Middle Eastern Gasoline Daily Market Analysis / Indonesian demand heard stable / China’s Aug export levels remain unconfirmed / The Asian gasoline complex strengthened July 20, amid consistent demand heard from / Indonesia, the region’s largest gasoline importer. Pertamina issued a slew of tenders, / August. The US RBOB-Brent crack was pegged at $53.94/ barrel at 0300 GMT July 20, up from / the assessment of $52.90/b at the July 17 Asian close. Brokers pegged the front-month FOB / Singapore 92 RON gasoline swaps crack spread with Brent swaps in the $21.40-$21.45/b / the physical FOB Singapore 92 RON gasoline crack against front-month ICE Brent crude oil / until Ukraine’s recent drone campaign damaged much of its downstream infrastructure, may / Singapore Gasoline Rationales & Exclusions / Gasoline Unl 92 FOB Spore Cargo <PGAEY00> assessment rationale: The FOB Singapore 92 / 4-8 at Mean of Singapore 92 RON plus $2.25/b at $111.84/b, a bid for a cargo loading over / for a cargo loading over Aug. 10-14 at $111.46/b. Gasoline Unl 95 FOB Spore Cargo / <PGAEZ00> assessment rationale: The FOB Singapore 95 RON gasoline assessment July 20 / took into consideration the previous day’s 95/92 inter-RON spread in the absence of bids, / offers and trades. Gasoline Unl 97 FOB Spore Cargo <PGAMS00> assessment rationale: The / Gulf Cargo <AAGJA00> assessment rationale: The FOB Arab Gulf 92 RON gasoline cargo / assessment was derived as a freight netback from the FOB Singapore 92 RON marker using / the following calculation: FOB Singapore 92 RON assessment minus the cost of transporting / No market data was excluded from the Asian gasoline Market on Close assessment process / July 20. No market data was excluded from the Asian gasoline derivative MOC process July / FOB Fujairah Gasoline Daily Rationale & Exclusions / Gasoline 92 RON FOB Fujairah cargo <RFJFS00> assessment rationale: The assessment of FOB / in the FOB Fujairah 92 RON gasoline Market on Close assessment process. The MOPAG 92 / RON gasoline strip is calculated from the August MOPAG 92 RON gasoline swap at $101.64/b / and the September MOPAG 92 RON gasoline swap at $96.04/b. The cash differential took into / Gasoline 95 RON FOB Fujairah cargo <AFUJA00> assessment rationale: The assessment of FOB / Fujairah 95 RON gasoline July 20 took into consideration the 95 RON gasoline MOPAG strip / in the absence of bids, offers and trades in the FOB Fujairah 95 RON gasoline MOC. The / MOPAG 95 RON gasoline strip is calculated from the August MOPAG 95 RON gasoline swap / at $104.22/b and the September MOPAG 95 RON gasoline swap at $98.28/b. The cash / in the Middle East. Exclusions: No market data was excluded from the Asian gasoline MOC
Asia Pacific Sweet Crude Daily Market Analysis / Sep-loading Ichthys Field, Wheatstone condensate moves / Sep arrival Alba condensate moves / Initial trade details surface for Sep-loading Kimanis crude / The Asia-Pacific regional market on July 17 saw further movements across the crude and / condensate complex as the trading week inched to a close. In the regional condensate / Australian Ichthys Field condensate cargo scheduled to load over Sept. 21-25 to a trading / moved its Equatorial Guinea Alba condensate scheduled for September arrival, while / Australia’s Woodside Energy was also heard to have sold its early September-loading / Wheatstone condensate cargo, according to several trade sources. In the medium-sweet / crude complex, initial trade details surfaced as Brunei Energy was heard to have sold its / The second-month gasoil and jet fuel swap cracks averaged $48.41/b and $48.89/b, / June. Meanwhile, Caspian crude exporters are showing growing interest in Black Sea export / to Germany’s PCK Schwedt refinery via Druzhba were also suspended in May, prompting / Kazakhstan to redirect volumes to Ust-Luga and CPC. India’s move to raise export taxes on / opportunities amid renewed concerns about crude and product flows from the Middle East, / analysts and market sources said July 17. However, they said that the revision — normally / from Rupees 7.50/liter. By contrast, the export duty on gasoline was lowered to Rupees / Asia Light Sweet Crude Daily Rationale & Exclusions / ESPO FOB Kozmino Mo01 Spore vs Dubai Mo01 <AASEU00> assessment rationale: The ESPO