NPC delegation in Japan

A high-ranking NPC team, headed by HE Deputy Petroleum Minister and NPC President, M. R. Nematzadeh visited Japan during 26 March-2 April. The visit aimed to identify opportunities for joint cooperation between NPC and Japanese companies in areas such as joint investment, trade, training, and research and development. During their visit, the NPC team met with the officials of leading Japanese engineering and petrochemical companies, including Tomen, MCC, MHI, TOYO, Sumitomo, Nissho Iwai, Marubeni, Mitsui, Fuji Electric, JSW, Mitsubishi, JGC, Yamatake, Idemitsu, Chiyoda and MES and toured the plants and facilities of some of these companies. They also held meetings with several banks including, the Fuji Bank, Bank of Tokyo Mitsubishi (BOTM) as well as trading houses and some Japanese government organizations such as Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI), Japan Bank for International Cooperation (JBIC), Agency of Natural Resources and Energy (ANRE) and Japan Cooperation Center Petroleum (JCCP). At the meetings, Japanese companies, institutions and banks expressed their readiness to invest in NPC's projects.

Besides, several other Japanese companies voiced their interest to participate in the NPC's third and fourth phase projects, including ammonia/urea and PTA. Some of them also said they were keen to jointly invest in GTL and DME projects. Meanwhile, Japanese trading houses and companies also expressed their enthusiasm in concluding long-term contracts for purchasing NPC's products. In meetings with the Japanese companies that are involved in the NPC's projects, including TOYO Eng., TOMEN, MCC and MHI, the status quo and future programs of the NPC's fourth aromatics and second purified terephthalic acid (PTA) projects were reviewed.

Tomen reiterates its interest in NPC future projects

Tomen's Senior Managing Director, Y. Takeshige visited NPC President and discussed issues of mutual interest including their interest to participate in the NPC's future projects such as PTA-3, GTL, DME and Khorasan revamping. At the meeting, NPC President called on the Japanese companies to consider establishing joint venture companies for these projects. Besides, Tomen and the NPC's commercial subsidiary PCC agreed to discuss establishing a joint marketing company of petrochemical products. The two companies have decided to form up a joint working team to speed up the establishment of the joint company.

METI discusses participation of Japanese companies in NPC projects

A team from Japan's Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) headed by T. Hirata, Director of Petroleum and Natural Gas met with NPC President and expressed Japan's desire to take part in the NPC's Gas-to-Liquids (GTL) project. NPC President explained the project's status quo and future programs to the METI team. Following Nematzadeh's explanations, METI also voiced their interest to participate in other downstream gas extraction project such as LPG. The two sides agreed to remain in touch and hold follow up negotiations over the project.

Tunisian Deputy Minister of Industry and NPC President review expansion of mutual cooperation

The Tunisian Deputy Minister of Industry, R. Dekhil who was accompanying the country's Prime Minister Mohammad Ghannoushi on a four day official visit to Tehran, met with Deputy Petroleum Minister and NPC President, M. R. Nematzadeh at NPC headquarters. In their negotiations, Dekhil and Nematzadeh identified reciprocal trade, technical and technological collaboration, join investment and engineering services as areas for possible future cooperation.

SABIC & NPC discuss joint venture collaboration

NPC and the Saudi Basic Industries Corporation (SABIC) are negotiating petrochemical investment opportunities in the NPC's development projects. During 17-19 April 2001, a delegation from SABIC, headed by N. Al-Sayyari, President of SABIC's Basic Chemicals, met with the NPC's officials in Tehran to discuss potential investment in an olefin facility. NPC and SABIC already have a good business relationship through products swaps and marketing arrangements.