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Proposals in for Czech firms; cooperation likely with eastern Germany

Journal Article · · Chemical Week; (United States)
OSTI ID:6696422

Two Western groups - Shell and a consortium made up of Agip, Conoco, and Total - have offered to buy the refining operations of Chemopetrol Litvinov and Kaucuk Kralupy, both in the Czech republic. Meanwhile, Amoco, Neste, and PCD are looking at the possibility of acquiring some of the plastics plants at Litvinov. Amoco is interested in the polypropylene operations, Neste in polyethylene, and PCD in both. The two Czech firms are included in the second wave of privatization, which will begin in midyear. So far, there have been no offers for the 80,000-m.t./year polystyrene and 60,000-m.t./year styrene butadiene rubber operations belonging to Kralupy, although Atochem representatives recently visited the plants. Litvinov is carrying out revamping operations at its core unit, a 12-year-old, 450,000-m.t./year ethylene plant. The plant, currently running at 400,000 m.t./year, supplies downstream plants, Neratovice, and sells on the export markets. An existing ethylene pipeline between Litvinov and Bohlen in eastern Germany, which used to supply an average 100,000 m.t./year of ethylene to Bohen in exchange for naphtha, is virtually unused. One proposal involves reactivating this exchange to secure ethylene feedstock for plants in eastern Germany. According to some sources, a preliminary decision has been made to shut down the 100,000-m.t./year ethylene plant at Leuna and possibly to expand the Bohlen cracker by 100,000 m.t./year, to 400,000 m.t./year by the late 1990s.

OSTI ID:
6696422
Journal Information:
Chemical Week; (United States), Journal Name: Chemical Week; (United States) Vol. 152:5; ISSN CHWKA9; ISSN 0009-272X
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English