Shell Cracker in Singapore Shut Down

Royal Dutch Shell's Singapore chemical operations were disrupted this week due to what the company characterized as a technical issue.

Reports indicated that the company declared a force majeure — or an event that could not reasonably be controlled — on its production of base chemicals from an ethylene and propylene cracker complex at the Bukom plant.

Sources told ICIS News that the cracker was shut down over the weekend and could remain off-line for as many as three weeks.

A company spokeswoman said that Shell is working "to resume normal operations and supply as soon as possible so as to minimize the potential impact on our customers."

It was reportedly the second disruption at the Singapore plant in as many months.