Iran’s petrochemical output during the first eight months of the current fiscal year (March-November) reached 47 million tons, indicating a 7% increase compared with the same period of last year, the production control manager of the National Petrochemical Company said.
Outlining production details, Bijan Chegeni said, “About 2.5 million tons of aromatics, 5.4 million tons of polymer products, 5.6 million tons of fertilizers and related materials, 14.1 million tons of hydrocarbon products and 19.5 million tons of chemicals were produced during the period,” the NPC’s news portal NIPNA reported.
“Of the total output, 23 million tons were produced in complexes located in Asalouyeh, Bushehr Province, 13 million tons came from petrochemical plants in Mahshahr, Khuzestan Province, and 11 million tons were produced in other regions,” he added.
Regarding the injection of feedstock to the West Ethylene Pipeline, the official noted that over 1.303 million tons of feedstock were injected into WEP in the eight-month period, which figure stood at 1.297 million tons last year.
West Ethylene Pipeline is 1,700 kilometers long and runs from the port city of Asalouyeh off the Persian Gulf. It supplies ethylene as feedstock to 12 petrochemical factories along the way, including in Mahabad, Mahshahr, Andimeshk, Lorestan, Kermanshah, Hamedan, Kurdestan and Miandoab.
The pipeline’s annual capacity is 3.5 million tons, 2.5 million tons of which come from the major South Pars Gas Field and the rest from Gachsaran field in Kohgilouyeh-Boyerahmad Province.
Raising Revenues
Deputy Oil Minister and NPC Managing Director Morteza Shahmirzaei said, “In the next 10 years, we will reach a production capacity of 200 million tons per annum. The set goal will earn $180 billion annually for the country.”
“The first petrochemical plant in Iran was established in 1964. By the next 15 years, the output capacity of the petrochemical industry had reached 1.5 million tons per year. However, the figure today has exceeded 90 million tons annually,” he added.
Speaking about the ongoing projects in petrochemical industry, the NPC chief said, “About $80 billion have been invested in 103 projects. Twenty-one projects have been planned to make the country cut dependence on importing certain petrochemical products.”
Likewise, efforts are being made so that Iran can become self-sufficient in catalyst production in the next two years.
Iran annually needs 29,000 tons of catalysts for the petrochemical, refining and gas sectors. Currently, less than 30% of the total need are produced by domestic companies and the rest is imported.
NPC is determined to indigenize all major catalysts used in the industry with the help of startups to accelerate the completion of petrochemical value chain.
Domestic catalyst producers and knowledge-based firms have indigenized several catalysts used for hydrogen processing, hydrocracking, dry reforming of methane, isocyanates production, sulfur recycling and removing impurities like mercaptan, sulfur and other environmentally-unfriendly materials from gas condensates.
With abundant hydrocarbon reserves and new private sector investments, Iran is working hard to maintain its global status in the key sector and broaden its scope.
Iran has more than 159 billion barrels of oil reserves and about 33 trillion cubic meters of gas in place.
Currently, 70 petrochemical plants are operating across the country, turning their various feedstock, including gas condensates, ethane, natural gas and naphtha into valuable products.
