To boost petrochemical output capacity, improvement and optimization of 12 petrochem plants are underway in different provinces, production manager at the National Petrochemical Company said.
"Drawing on domestic expertise for the implementation of optimization plans is a top priority of NPC and a special committee in the National Iranian Oil Company monitors the situation regularly," Qodratollah Farajpour was also quoted as saying by NIPNA, the National Petrochemical Company's news agency.
Giving a breakdown on the ongoing ventures, the official noted that Marjan Petrochemical Complex—aka 7th Methanol Project—in Phase 2 of South Pars in Asalouyeh as well as Kaveh Methanol Company in Bushehr Province with a capacity of 1.65 and 2.3 million tons per year will become fully operational in summer.
According to Farajpour, Bushehr Petrochemical Complex in Bushehr Province has made a work-in-progress rate of 92% and if funding is provided, it is expected to reach its full capacity by the yearend (March 2019).
Referring to the rise in ethane production from the giant South Pars Gas Field in the Persian Gulf, which is used as feedstock in petrochemical plants, he added that the output of value-added commodities, especially ethylene and polyethylene, in plants adjacent to the Persian Gulf will rise by 650 and 630 million tons in the fiscal 2018-19 respectively.
Asked about other projects, the official noted that plans have been devised to raise output in Bandar Imam Petrochemical Complex, Shahid Tondgouyan Petrochemical Complex in Bandar Mahshahr, Takht-e-Jamshid Petrochemical Plant in Mahshahr Special Petrochemical Economic Zone in Khuzestan Province and Urmia Petrochemical Plant in West Azarbaijan Province by 150,000 tons, 26,000 tons, 50,000 tons and 40,000 tons per annum respectively.
Commenting on other ventures, namely Kavian Petrochemical Plant in Asalouyeh, Nouri and Jam petrochemical companies in the southern Bushehr Province as well as Morvarid and Mobin petrochemical complexes in the southern port city of Asalouyeh, Farajpour said, "The development of these plans will help the country generate $14 billion in revenues from petrochemical exports in the current fiscal (started March 21)."
"The country's petrochem output will exceed 63 million tons in 2018," he added.
