Mitsui Announces Temporary Suspension of Operations at Ethylene Plant of Ichihara Works

Tuesday, Mar 16, 2010

Mitsui Chemicals, Inc. (Toshikazu Tanaka, President & CEO) announced the temporary suspension of operations at its ethylene plant in the Ichihara Works located in Ichihara City, Chiba Prefecture. The plant experienced trouble during routine production and operations were temporarily suspended pending review and determination of causes. Causes of the trouble have been determined and plant operation will be suspended until the end of March (tentative) to conduct necessary repairs and maintenance.

1. Background

a) Operations at ethylene plant suspended due to trouble during production on February 28.

b) Repair work completed and plant resumed operation on March 4.

c) Concentration of methane and hydrogen in ethylene increased and plant operation suspended to determine cause.

d) Review of March 11 determined necessity of repair work on heat exchanger.

2. Financial Impact

Repair of the heat exchanger and financial loss from operation suspension is currently estimated to have a financial impact of approximately 3 billion yen.

Annual production capacity of Ichihara Workds Ethylene Plant is 553,000 tons.

Sourc: Mitsui