Formosa starts producing on spec base oil

Formosa Petrochemical Corp. has started producing on-specification lubricating base oil from a new plant in Mailiao, Yun Lin County, Taiwan, with an annual capacity of 450,000 metric tons this week, the company said. The plant had begun initial tests in May, but wasn’t able to commission the plant until recently due to start-up issues. Formosa had hoped to start sales in the third quarter. The company now aims to begin domestic sales in October and international sales in November, according to Lin Keh-yen, a company spokesman. (September 25, 2009)