US olefins producer Dow Chemical started maintenance Friday on the new Light Hydrocarbons Unit No 9 at its site in Freeport, Texas, the company said in a regulatory filing.
Maintenance work -- which is scheduled to run through September 17 -- includes re-inventorying of the systems and work on the cold end process unit, according to the filing with the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality.
The 1.5 million mt/year steam cracker is commissioning, and is expected to begin production soon. Startup is "imminent," with hydrocarbon feed already being introduced to the new cracker, Jim Fitterling, company president and chief operating officer, said during a conference call.
The company did not immediately return a request for further comment.
