Eni's Versalis completes restart of Sicilian aromatics units in Priolo: source

Rome — The Versalis petrochemical plant in Priolo, Sicily, has restarted its aromatics units after being taken offline in recent months for maintenance and upgrade works, a source close to the company told S&P Global Platts Thursday.

Versalis' C1 CR14 and C2 CR14 aromatics units were among the first to be restarted, followed by the C2 CR11 and then the C1 CR11 unit, which produces hydrogen, the source said. One of the last to be restarted was the CR23 aromatics unit, the source said.

The Versalis petrochemical plant is owned by Eni.

The plant's ethylene unit is currently undergoing maintenance and upgrade works, and is scheduled to restart in about a week, the source said. The plant was originally scheduled to restart around March 14.

Company officials were not immediately available for comment, and the reason for the rescheduling could not be ascertained.

Eni is investing about Eur70 million in the turnaround project at Priolo, of which Eur48 million was earmarked for the ethylene unit, Eur15 million for the aromatics units and the balance for other units. The Priolo complex produces benzene, mixed xylenes, crude C4s, ethylene, propylene and pyrolysis gas.

Versalis is a wholly owned chemical subsidiary of Eni and owns three large petrochemical complexes in the country -- Priolo in Sicily, Porto Torres on the island of Sardinia and in Porto Marghera near Venice.