A comprehensive plan calls for increasing propylene production in Iran to 3 million tons a year, managing director of Iran’s National Petrochemical Company said.
“The plan will be carried out in three regions in south, west and north of the country,” NPC news portal quoted Behzad Mohammadi as saying.
“The first region is Asalouyeh in the southern Bushehr Province, which has suitable conditions to produce propylene due to methanol surplus,” he said.
The second is Eslamabad-e Gharb County in western Kermanshah Province where construction of a petrochemical plant has started. This plant will include a methanol-to-polypropylene unit.
Construction is underway with the involvement and expertise of Iranian engineers and is designed to annually produce 120,000 tons of poly-propylene.
“The third region is Amirabad District of Nour County in the northern Mazandaran Province,” Mohammadi said.
Infrastructure in the region has been prepared for the construction of a petrochemical complex to produce propylene.
Moreover, construction of a polypropylene complex has been planned in the western Ilam Province.
“The current propylene output is about 980,000 tons per year. However, demand for this product in the country is much more and plans are underway to increase output.”
The NPC boss went on to say that “Studies show we are facing a shortage of propylene to the tune of 200,000 tons and if no action is taken the deficit will grow to 700,000 tons in five years”.
Propylene is a colorless fuel gas with a naturally pungent smell. Although similar to propane, it has a double bond which gives it a combustion advantage i.e. it burns hotter. This fuel gas is extremely flammable and non-toxic. Propylene is obtained during the refining of gasoline.
Propylene is a strategic commodity in the petrochemical industries. It can be transformed into value added products like polypropylene and create jobs in the downstream petrochemical sector.
Polypropylene -- the world's second-most widely produced synthetic plastic, after polyethylene -- is used in a variety of applications including packaging and labeling, textiles, carpets, stationery, plastic parts and reusable containers, laboratory equipment, loudspeakers, automotive parts and polymer banknotes.
According to the oil minister, petrochemical production will increase significantly by the end of the current fiscal year (March 2021)
“About 25 million tons will be added to petrochemical production this year, which is unprecedented in the industry’s history in Iran,” Bijan Namdar Zangeneh said
Production capacity of petrochemical units will reach 100 million tons per year by 2021 from 66 million tons now.
Petrochemical company’s supply most of the domestic needs, thanks to the diversity of products. Export is significant and rising rapidly.
Iran produces a large variety of petrochemicals (350 types), for which there is high international demand. Exports are largely destined to Asia, Europe and South America.
According to published reports, Iran is to invest $40 billion in the petrochemical sector to raise annual output to 133 million tons in five years from about 66 tons now. It is forecast that the key sector should generate $37 billion annually by 2025.
