據(jù)天然氣新聞 2021年5月7日新加坡報(bào)道，由于疫苗接種計(jì)劃在亞洲各地推廣，制造醫(yī)療設(shè)備所需的基礎(chǔ)材料需求激增，韓國主要的石油化工生產(chǎn)商已經(jīng)加大力度來提高聚丙烯的產(chǎn)量，這為韓國進(jìn)口更多的石油化工原料石腦油打開了大門。

　　首爾的下游市場分析師表示：“今年第一季度，韓國對(duì)聚丙烯和聚乙烯的需求比去年同期大幅增加了34%以上。”

　　隨著東亞地區(qū)許多國家在第一季度末啟動(dòng)冠狀病毒疫苗接種計(jì)劃，韓國醫(yī)療設(shè)備制造商正在滿負(fù)荷運(yùn)轉(zhuǎn)，用于各種塑料醫(yī)療設(shè)備的國內(nèi)分銷和出口。

　　因此，韓國石化企業(yè)表示，他們有能力滿足醫(yī)療設(shè)備和衛(wèi)生產(chǎn)品制造商的需求，這些企業(yè)也熱衷于提供必要的材料。

　　韓國最大的石化企業(yè)韓華道達(dá)爾公司的一位管理人士說，該公司已經(jīng)完成了一個(gè)為期4年的項(xiàng)目，以提高其聚丙烯生產(chǎn)能力。

　　根據(jù)這個(gè)項(xiàng)目，韓華道達(dá)爾公司新建了一個(gè)年產(chǎn)40萬噸聚丙烯的工廠，將其聚丙烯產(chǎn)能從此前的72萬噸/年提高到了112萬噸/年，增幅為55.6%，增幅為韓國最大。

　　此外，樂天化學(xué)表示，韓國醫(yī)療器械制造商Poonglim Pharmatech開發(fā)的一種新型LDS或低死亡空間注射器，已被選為全國接種過程中使用的主要注射工具之一，石化制造商計(jì)劃提高聚丙烯產(chǎn)量，因?yàn)樵摴咀钅苤С痔囟ㄔO(shè)備的制造。

　　因此，韓國石化工業(yè)協(xié)會(huì)稱，韓國石化原料石腦油的需求在未來幾個(gè)月可能呈上升趨勢。

　　李峻 編譯自天然氣新聞

　　原文如下：

　　S Korea may seek more naphtha as polypropylene, medical device needs surge

　　South Korea's major petrochemical makers have stepped up efforts to boost production of polypropylene as base material demand for medical device manufacturing surged following the rollout of vaccination programs across Asia, opening the door for the country to import more petrochemical feedstock naphtha.

　　South Korea's demand for polypropylene and polyethylene, which are essential for making general medical devices including mask filters, plastic disposable syringes and hypodermic needles, as well as protective medical suits and gears, jumped by more than 34% in the first-quarter from a year earlier, according to downstream market analysts based in Seoul.

　　With many countries across East Asia kicking off their coronavirus vaccination programs in late Q1, South Korean medical device manufacturers are running their plants at full capacity for both domestic distribution and export of various plastic-based medical equipment.

　　Accordingly, South Korean petrochemical producers said they are well positioned to cater to the needs of medical equipment and hygiene product manufacturers, and the companies are keen to supply necessary materials.

　　South Korea's biggest petrochemical maker, Hanwha Total, has completed a four-year project to boost its polypropylene production capacity, a company official said.

　　Under the project, Hanwha Total has built a new polypropylene plant with a capacity of 400,000 mt/year, raising its polypropylene production capacity by 55.6% to 1.12 million mt/year, the biggest in South Korea, from 720,000 mt/year previously.

　　In addition, Lotte Chemical said a new LDS, or Low Dead Space, syringe developed by South Korea's medical device manufacturer, Poonglim Pharmatech, has been selected as one of the main injection tools to be used in the nationwide vaccination process and the petrochemical maker plans to ramp up polypropylene output as the company stands best to support manufacturing of the particular device.

　　As a result, South Korea's petrochemical feedstock naphtha requirement will likely trend higher over the coming months, according to Korea Petrochemical Industry Association.