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On the eve of the new Iranian year, Deputy
Petroleum Minister and NPC President, H.E. M. R. Nematzadeh issued a message to the company's staff congratulating them on the occasion of the New Year. In his message, Mr. Nematzadeh outlined the NPC's activities and achievements in the past year as well as the prospects and projections for the New Year. The message read:
"The past year, was a year of success and fulfillment for us in NPC. Benefiting from your knowledge, experience, expertise and determination, we took further steps towards the realization of the NPC's development program aimed at producing 35m tons of various petrochemicals by the year 1384 (2005). Fortunately almost all of the NPC's production and service-providing companies were last year awarded ISO quality assurance certificates, while Esfahan, Arak and Tabriz Petrochemical Complexes also obtained ISO 14001 certificate, which guarantees environmental protection.
Despite production increase in most of individual complexes, the NPC's total year-end production remained at about 11m tons, the same as last year's figure due to production slip in Razi and Shiraz Petrochemical Complexes which was caused by renovation projects at these two complexes.
The company's revenue, however, increased following a rise in international prices and amendment of domestic prices". He also referred to the NPC's projects saying that, "last year, tens of small and medium scale industrial and non-industrial projects were completed including a 200-bed hospital in Mahshahr, the NGL 1500 project, the Esfahan-Arak feedstock pipeline, the Arak ethanolamine plant and the Kharg Methanol Plant." He went on to say, "President Khatami's participation at the inauguration ceremony of the Kharg Methanol Plant and his recognition of efforts made by the NPC's management and staff was a turning point in our march towards the development of Iran's petrochemicals sector.
The erection activities of the paraxylene plant at Bandar Imam Petrochemical Complex have come to an end and the plant will be commissioned early next year.
Later in the year, the complex's MTBE plant will also become operational. Contracts for some of the new grassroots projects have been concluded and credit facilities for some other projects have become effective. Moreover, implementation activities have started at Amir Kabir (olefin 6&7), Shahid Tondguyan (1st PET/PTA),Khuzestan (engineering polymers) and Fajr (central utilities) projects.
Bidding and initial designing activities for the giant projects of olefin 9&10, 4th aromatics and 4th methanol projects at Pars (Assaluyeh) Special Economic/Energy Zone are underway. The successful Iran Petrochemical Forum on 19-20 April 1999, was a new move towards the attraction of foreign and domestic investors and formation of joint ventures.
In this connection, negotiations with investors continued successfully and in several cases they came to fruition."
Elsewhere in his message, Mr. Nematzadeh enumerated production increase and quality-enhancement at the NPC's complexes, institution of R&D activities and maintenance of an active presence in the global petrochemicals market as some of the prospects for the new Iranian calendar year.
He added, "In addition to the completion of paraxylene and MTBE projects at Bandar Imam Petrochemical Complex, next year will see a boost in the execution activities of Fajr (utilities), Shahid Tondguyan (1st PET/PTA), Khuzestan (engineering polymers) and parts of Amir Kabir (olefin 6&7) projects preparing their completion in the year which follows".
Mr. Nematzadeh concluded his message by acknowledging the role and contribution of the NPC's staff and their families in advancing the company's missions and expressed hope that the entire NPC family could serve "as a strong arm for the Government of the Islamic Republic of Iran in developing the country's economy and industry".
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