China's Shanghai Secco Petrochemical may need to shut its acrylonitrile plant next week if it is unable to get the steam cracker up and running soon, a company source said Thursday. Shanghai Secco slashed runs at its 260,000 mt/year ACN unit from 100% to 50% late Monday due to a shortage of propylene feedstock. The shortage arose after Secco unexpectedly shut its naphtha-fed steam cracker Saturday due to unspecified problems. It is estimated that the cracker may be shut for at least 15 days. The price of ACN in China was slightly firmer by Yuan 100/mt this week at Yuan 7,400-7,500/mt on an ex-tank basis. The impact of the cut in Secco's ACN supply may get reflected next week, after the market heard about news that Secco may have to keep the cracker shut longer than the previously estimated length of one week, market sources said.