據ICIS網站4月17日消息 盡管印度計劃在4月20日之后放松對某些企業的限制，但由于疫情導致的長時間停工，下游工廠繼續關閉或者以低生產率運行，因此印度的石化需求可能仍然低迷。

巴拉特石油公司的一位不愿透露姓名的官員表示：“印度大多數煉油廠，無論是國營還是民營，目前的產能都在50%左右”。

盡管石油和天然氣行業受到基本服務的約束，并在封鎖期間獲準運營，但許多下游行業被迫關閉。

這位巴拉特石油官員稱，這導致煉油廠和石化廠的石化庫存增加。

印度天然氣管理局（GAIL）在4月15日向孟買證券交易所（BSE）發出的一份通知中確認，由于庫存過剩，該公司關閉了位于Pata in Uttar Pradesh的40萬噸/年聚乙烯（PE）工廠。

印度天然氣管理局在提交給孟買證券交易所的文件中稱，出現這種情況是由于該國的需求減少以及運輸限制。

印度最初為期三周的全國封鎖本應于4月14日結束，但目前延長至5月3日。

雖然印度政府已經為4月20日后部分放松封鎖制定了廣泛的規定，但各行業在開始運營前還需要得到各邦政府的批準。

下游行業包括包裝和塑料行業、汽車零部件行業以及油漆和染料公司仍在等待各有關部門的指示。

王磊 摘譯自 ICIS

原文如下：

Indian petrochemical demand to stay subdued despite relaxed lockdown restrictions

India's petrochemical demand may remain subdued as downstream plants will either remain shut or run at reduced rates despite planned relaxed restrictions on certain businesses after 20 April amid an extended pandemic-induced-lockdown.

“Most refineries in India, both state-run and private are currently operating at around 50% of capacity,” said an official with Bharat Petroleum Corp Ltd (BPCL) who did not wish to be identified.

Though the oil and gas industry comes under essential services and has been allowed to operate during the lockdown, many downstream industries were forced to shut down.

This has caused a rise in petrochemical inventory at the refinery and petrochemical complexes, the BPCL official said.

In a notification to the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE) on 15 April, Gas Authority of India Ltd (GAIL) confirmed that it shut down its 400,000 tonne/year polyethylene (PE) plant at Pata in Uttar Pradesh state due to excess inventory.

In its filing to the BSE, GAIL stated that the situation arose due to reduction of demand as well as transport restrictions in the country.

India’s initial three-week nationwide lockdown was supposed to end on 14 April but was extended to 3 May.

While the Indian government has laid out the broad rules for the partial relaxation of the lockdown after 20 April, industries will also require approvals from the various state governments before they can begin operations.

Downstream industries including the packaging and plastics industry, auto components industry and paints and dyes companies are still waiting for clarity in instructions from various authorities.