Petrochemical exports experienced a 6% and 20% hike in volume and value respectively in 2017, production manager at the National Petrochemical Company said.
"The country produced 54 million tons of petrochemicals, of which 22 million tons, worth $12 billion, was sold in international markets in the fiscal year that ended on March 20, 2017," Qodratollah Farajpour was also quoted as saying by NIPNA, the NPC's news agency.
According to the official, of the total output, 17.5 million tons were sold to domestic exports, showing a 28% and 6% increase in value and volume respectively compared with last year's corresponding period.
"Iran petrochem export rose by 6% in 2017. NPC also completed Phase 3 of Pardis Petrochemical Company in Asalouyeh, with a capacity of 1.7 million tons of urea and ammonium," he said.
Farajpour noted that NPC also overhauled the turbines in Damavand Petrochemical Complex that is Iran's biggest provider of petrochemical services in Asalouyeh.
The firm added 100 megawatts of electricity to the second phase of Asalouyeh's petrochemical plants and the problem of transferring natural gas to Bandar Imam Petrochemical Complex was tackled successfully.
"The completion of Kaveh Petrochemical Company's plant with a production capacity of 2.5 million tons of methanol in Bandar Dayyer as well as the 1.7-million-ton-per-year Marjan Petrochemical Company in Asalouyeh will help the country have a more active presence in foreign markets," he said, adding that the purchase of domestic goods tops NPC's priority list.
According to Mohammad Ali Bosaqzadeh, deputy for production control at NPC, the development of South Pars phases 20 and 21by July will meet the country's need for ethane as feedstock, which can result in a 20% rise in the country's olefin production.
"As of July, more ethylene will be injected to the West Ethylene Pipeline—a 1,200-kilometer pipeline that runs from Asalouyeh in the south all the way to West Azarbaijan Province in the northwest, feeding a string of petrochemical producers," he said.
Bosaqzadeh emphasized the rehabilitation of petrochem complex with a lifespan of more than 20 years to boost efficiency and raise capacity.
