Long Son Petrochemical has restarted its high-density polyethylene (HDPE) unit, resuming operations around August 19, 2025, after a prolonged shutdown that began in mid-October 2024. The unit, located in Ba Ria-Vung Tau province, has a production capacity of 500,000 mt per year and has been taken offline along with its upstream cracker amid shrinking production margins and weak market demand.
This restart comes as part of the intricate timeline of the integrated petrochemical complex. The broader facility, which includes downstream units for LLDPE and PP and a mixed-feed cracker, had gradually been preparing to resume operations following earlier suspensions. Industry sources have noted the period of weakness in global petrochemical margins and volatile market conditions impacted operations, but recent improvements in input cost dynamics and operational readiness have made the restart feasible.
With the HDPE unit now back online, Long Son Petrochemical is poised to re-enter both domestic and export markets with renewed polyethylene supply, a move closely watched by market participants for its potential to shift regional supply balances.
