A total of 13 agreements on transfer of technical knowledge were signed with the private sector over the past two years, said the managing director of Petrochemical Research and Technology Company (PRTC), IRIB reported.
Eight of these contracts pertain to catalyst, and five to chemical processes, Esmaeil Ghanbari said at a press conference, on Sunday. The license for methanol and High Temperature Desulfurization Process (HTDP) will be offered to private firms in the near future, Ghanbari announced. Technical knowledge of the PRTC's catalysts was utilized in Bandar Imam, Shazand, Shimi Baft, and Khuzestan petrochemical complexes. Technical knowledge sold to the private sector over the past two years is valued at $23.6 million.
Iran's methanol production capacity is projected to increase by 20 million tons in five years, the official said, noting that for construction of methanol producing units henceforward the National Petrochemical Company (NPC) will grant licenses only to private investors capable of constructing relevant downstream units, such as propylene.
Technical knowledge to produce methanol, converting methanol to propylene and polypropylene, as well as ammonia and methanol synthesis catalysts are among the PRTC's achievements. The quality of methanol synthesis catalyst was approved by the Swiss company, Casale SA.
Iran’s petrochemical production capacity stands at 60 million tons per year. Currently, 45 petrochemical units produce the amount, which accounts for 36 percent of the total non-oil exports. According to global estimates, Iran holds 24 percent of Middle East's and 4.2 of the world's petrochemical production capacity. Iran's main petrochemical exports include methanol, urea, polyethylene and aromatics.
