BIPC to launch an ethane and a propane recovery project

Bandar Imam Petrochemical Company (BIPC) has laid out a project to recover 150,000-t/y ethane (C2) and 50,000-t/y propane (C3) from the fuel gas of its NGL fractionation plant. The recovered C2 and C3 will be used as feedstock for the BIPC's olefin plant and the NPC's olefin projects.

Iran's Nargan provided the project's feasibility study. BIPC has sent out tender documents for the project's basic and detailed engineering as well as supply contract. The project will be completed within 24 months after the contract goes into effect.

Ammonia plant revamp and urea plant expansion at RPC

Razi Petrochemical Complex (RPC) is currently revamping its ammonia plant no. 1. The revamp project at the plant targets to remove the process bottlenecks and to ensure continuous production at the nominal capacity of 1,000-t/d.

There is also an expansion project under way at urea no. 1 plant aiming to raise the plant's production capacity from its current 700-t/d to 825-t/d.

The revamp at ammonia plant is due to be completed by late November and the expansion project at urea plant is expected to end in December.

Concurrent with the revamp and expansion activities at these two plants, 11km of the complex's 175km long sour gas pipeline was replaced after inspection tests confirmed corrosion in the pipeline. The pipeline provides RPC's feedstock from Masjed-I-Soleiman wells. At the same time, the complex's gas treating and sulfur plants were overhauled while other plants remained in service being fed by an auxiliary NGL pipeline.

EPC on track for two 1000 straight days of non-stop production

The Esfahan Petrochemical Complex (EPC), an NPC subsidiary has achieved an impressive record of two 1000 days of non-stop operation after it was overhauled in 1993 and 1996. EPC came onstream in 1992 and was first overhauled in the following year. After its first overhaul, EPC was on operation for 1000 straight days. It was then overhauled in 1996 for the second time and was on line with no outage for another 1000 days until 1999 when it went for its third repairs. It is expected that the complex will keep up its non-stop performance after its recent overhaul. EPC also enjoys impressive safety and environment protection records. It has experienced no fire outbreaks since the last 106 months. Neither has it experienced any major incident in the past 31 months. The complex has obtained ISO 9002 as well as ISO 14001 certificates. The latter guarantees environmental protection. It also has received the country's Green Industry Award for its environmental performance. EPC's products slate includes benzene, toluene, orthoxylene and paraxylene.