NPC News Bulletin-Projects-April 2000

BIPC's paraxylene plant

Bandar Imam Petrochemical Complex's paraxylene plant, one of the NPC's grassroots development projects, will be operational shortly. The project, built in an area of 5 hectares within the battery limit of Bandar Imam Petrochemical Complex (BIPC), will produce 180,000-t/y of paraxylene and 40,000-t/y of by-products, including liquid distillates, C9 aromatics and toluene. It consumes mixed xylenes and hydrogen as its feedstock, which would be supplied by BIPC. IFP of France provided the license for the project. Contracts for basic & detailed engineering as well as procurement and supply of equipment and machinery were awarded to Abay Engineering of Belgium and Chemi Naft of Iran. The erection, installation and pre-commissioning contracts were awarded to Machinsazi Pars Company of Iran. Iranian engineering companies were involved, to a large extent, in the construction of this project. In this connection, they designed and fabricated the plant's 102 meter mixed xylenes separation tower. The construction, erection and installation services were provided entirely by Iranian companies. The project's total cost was $147 million an equivalent $55 million of which was the local currency portion.

The bidding documents for the NPC's world-scale 10th Olefin Project will be issued in the near future. The scope of work for this facility includes grant of license, basic & detailed engineering, supply of equipment and material, technical assistance during construction and start-up and provision of finance. Foreign and domestic companies will be invited to tender for this project. The 10th Olefin Project will be built at Pars (Assaluyeh) Special Economic/Energy Zone on the north coast of the Persian Gulf. It is designed to produce 300,000-t/y LLDPE, 350,000-t/y HDPE, 400,000-t/y MEG and 300,000-t/y PP as its main products. The near-by 4th Aromatic Project will supply the feedstock of this project. The pyrolysis gasoline produced at the olefin project will be used as feed for the aromatic project.

The bidding deadline for the C2+ recovery and C2 fractionation units of the 9th olefin project was extended to the end of April 2000. The revised deadline for the complex's remaining units is June 15, 2000. The extension was made due to revisions in the production capacity of the project's ethylene plant and its downstream units. The 9th olefin project will be located at Pars (Assaluyeh) Special Economic/Energy Zone with a capacity of 1,400,000-t/y.

Salzgitter of Germany started basic engineering of Bandar Imam acetic acid project on March 1, 2000. Located at Bandar Imam Petrochemical Special Economic Zone, the project will have a capacity of 150,000-t/y and will use 85,000-t/y of methanol as its feedstock. The feedstock will be supplied by the NPC's Third Methanol Project which will be constructed in the vicinity of the acetic acid project. The basic engineering is expected to be completed within 6.5 months.

Kharg Petrochemical Complex

Kharg Petrochemical Complex (KPC), one of the NPC's production plants, is currently launching a number of projects to hoist both the quality and quantity of its production. The projects include renovation and expansion of capacity of the propane refrigeration, the high-pressure booster and the pre-saturation/still offgas compressors. The engineering studies of the projects were initially done by Ralph Parsons of England but were, later on, handed over to Namvaran Engineering Company of Iran. Once these projects are completed, production of propane, butane and pentane at KPC will rise from its current 8,470 barrel/day to 11,168 barrel/day. KPC, formerly a 50-50 joint venture of NPC and AMOCO of America, was formed in 1966 and produces LPG, pentane and sulfur.

Razi Petrochemical Complex

In a bid to raise production at its ammonia plant to designed capacity rate, Razi Petrochemical Complex (RPC) is currently renovating the plant. Once the plant is revamped, it will produce 330,000-t/y of ammonia. The contracts for basic and detailed engineering have been awarded to MW Kellog and Sazaeh Engineering Consultancy Company of Iran. Established in 1966 in a 50-50 joint venture with Allied Chemicals Corporation of the US, Razi Petrochemical Company is one of the NPC's oldest complexes. With its total production standing at 3.2 million ton per year, RPC is considered one of the country's major producers of fertilizers. It produces ammonia, urea, di-ammonium phosphate (DAP), phosphoric acid, sulfuric acid and sulfur.

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