Production at Alliance Refinery to close down next year

PTT Aromatics and Refining Plc (PTTAR) plans to close down production of Alliance Refinery Co. in February next year, according to PTTAR President Chainoi Puankosoom. PTTAR would also switch to making reformate, a main additive for vehicle fuel, to produce aromatics instead. He said PTTAR was proceeding with an investment of US$1.6 billion to expand its capacity and improve its oil refinery production efficiency. Of the total investment budget, US$938 million goes to building an aromatics complex II, which would double its production of paraxylene, mixed xylene, benzene and toluene capacity to 2.2 million tons a year from 1.1 million tons. (May 13, 2008)