A petrochemical plant for converting natural gas to polypropylene is under construction in Eslamabad-e-Gharb, Kermanshah Province, and is expected to come on stream by 2024, managing director of the National Petrochemical Company said.
“The project is the first of its kind in the petrochemical industry of Iran, which is to produce propylene and polypropylene from gas,” Behzad Mohammadi was also quoted as saying by the Oil Ministry’s news agency Shana.
During a visit to the facility on Saturday, Mohammadi said the executive operation of the project is defined in three phases.
“In the first phase, natural gas will be converted to methanol. The plant is estimated to produce 660,000 tons per year,” he said.
“The second phase is the conversion of methanol to propylene with an annual capacity of 120,000 tons and the last phase will be the production of polypropylene with a capacity of 120,000 tons per year.”
The construction of the gas-to-polypropylene (GTPP) plant was started earlier this year by domestic engineers. Researchers at the Petrochemical Research and Technology Company, affiliated to NPC, have gained the technical know-how to build the plant, the NPC boss said, adding that the project will cost $545 million.
PRTC is the mainstay for research and production of technology in all petrochemical fields. It ensures tech security and contributes to economic growth by exporting know-how.
More Propylene needed
Mohammadi noted that Iran now has a production capacity of about 1 million tons of propylene per annum, but needs about 4 million tons annually.
“One of the factors that has caused the country's petrochemical industry to be unsuccessful in developing propylene production plans has been the lack of technical savvy for producing this item. However, with the efforts of experts at PRTC, Iran can now produce it,” Shana quoted the official as saying.
“Currently, licenses have been issued for the construction of some GTPP facilities that will produce not only propylene but also propylene derivatives. We hope to produce 4 million tons of propylene by 2025 after the completion of these projects.”
At present, four propylene and polypropylene production projects are underway in Mahshahr, Amirabad, Anzali and Asalouyeh.
Stretching over 54 hectares in Eslamabad-e-Gharb County, the plant will create 4,500 direct jobs during the construction phase and contribute to growth in the western province namely by creating jobs. When operational, 2.1 mcm of natural gas will be delivered to the plant per day.
Polypropylene – the world's second-most widely produced synthetic plastic after polyethylene – has a variety of applications, including packaging and labeling, textiles, carpets, stationery, plastic parts, reusable containers, laboratory equipment, loudspeakers, automotive parts and polymer banknotes.
The global polypropylene market was worth $126 billion in 2019. It is expected to grow at a compound annual growth rate of 12% and reach $192.3 billion by 2023.
Rising demand for thermoplastic materials contributed to the growth of the polypropylene market. Due to its unique chemical properties, thermoplastic materials can be recycled and remolded without affecting its physical properties, making thermoplastic materials more useful in clothing, packaging, food and beverage sectors.
