Delay over cracker plant conversion leads to fears

AN extended pause on a multimillion-pound project to bring chemical giant Sabic’s Olefins 6 plant back into use has prompted fears for hundreds of jobs on Teesside.

- 

The ‘cracker’ plant, which has been offline since the end of 2020, was due to be converted to run entirely on gas feedstocks. But the project was paused last year with a decision on investment expected in late April to early May.

Sabic’s Saudi bosses have wrestled with what they say are uncertain market conditions and have yet to make a final call on the business case for restarting work, completion and ultimately re-commissioning of the plant.