What was the reason for Formosa Petrochemical Corp's force majeure on olefins, and when was it lifted?

Formosa Petrochemical Corp (FPCC) declared force majeure on its olefins division on 9 March 2026 due to disruption in naphtha supply caused by escalating conflict in the Middle East; the company lifted the declaration effective 3 June 2026, citing improved operating conditions, optimized plant operations, secured feedstock supply, and enhanced supply chain flexibility.

What is the current operational status of FPCC’s ethylene crackers and propylene units as of early June 2026?

As of early June 2026, FPCC’s No 1 and No 3 ethylene crackers are shut — No 1 since September 2025 due to poor ethylene economics with no restart date set, and No 3 since late March 2026 due to naphtha shortage and scheduled for turnaround in late June/early July to reconfigure for ethane feedstock; meanwhile, No 2 cracker (1.035 million tonne/year ethylene capacity) is running at near-full capacity, and the 350,000 tonne/year No 1 RFCC propylene unit restarted in mid-May following a turnaround.

Taiwan’s FPCC lifts force majeure on olefins as operating conditions improve

Jun 5, 2026

Formosa Petrochemical Corp terminated its force majeure on olefins effective June 3 after resolving naphtha supply disruptions linked to Middle East conflicts. Operations are stabilizing, though some crackers remain shut while others run near full capacity.

icis

2026-06-05

Taiwan’s FPCC lifts force majeure on olefins as operating conditions improve

Taiwan’s FPCC lifts force majeure on olefins as operating conditions improve

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