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Mohammad Hassan Peyvandi, NPC's Director of Planning & Development and Chairman of Iran's Petrochemical Forum 2000 (IPF 2000) agreed to an interview with NPC News Bulletin and answered our questions about the event. Excerpts:
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M. H. Peyvandi, NPC's Director of Planning & IPF 2000 Chairman |
Q. The first IPF was held last year and the second one will be opened in May 2000. What drives NPC to organize this forum annually?
A. Fortunately, IPF is growing into a major regional and international event. It is a unique gathering in the region in terms of the level of participants. By holding it annually, we hope to develop IPF into a stage where the industry's leading players can meet and exchange views on various issues including the state of the art technology and the global market. By doing so, we can take advantage of opportunities and hamper threats. Naturally, during the forum, we can demonstrate our country's fast growing capabilities with the aim of, God willing, exporting engineering, erection and construction services as well as the homespun heavy industry products, which are currently used at NPC's projects.
Q. The main theme of IPF 1999 was investment in Iran's petrochemical industry whereas IPF 2000 pursues various issues. Investment in the Iranian petrochemical sector is only a part of this year's IPF. How do you justify this change?
A. You are right. Last year's IPF had its own direction and priority. It tried to spotlight the advantages we have in petrochemicals so as to attract foreign investment. This year's IPF, however; is concerned with the industry's global concerns affecting both the producers and the consumers. It is of a more general nature. I see the change as a part of the overall process of development within the petrochemical industry as a whole. Next year, we may discuss topics that have not been touched upon in IPF 1999 & 2000 like catalysts for instance. I think we should make IPF very dynamic so that it can meet our needs. We should not lose sight of the fact that the petrochemical industry is a rapidly changing and fast growing industry. We need to adjust to the changes.
Q. What were the IPF 1999 outcomes?
A. My personal judgement is that we were successful. Our forum last year paved a solid ground for investors to approach NPC. We concluded a JV to construct a 300,000-t/y swing LLDPE/HDPE and a 160,000-t/y PP plant. We are at final stages for concluding a contract for a 300,000-t/y LDPE plant as well. Joint studies are in progress for finalizing conceptual studies for two world-scale olefin projects, which will be constructed based on ethane extraction. At the same time, negotiations with several leading international companies are going on with positive prospects in view. I should call your attention to the fact that joint investment studies are usually time consuming because the parties involved should reach the conclusion that the intended project is economically viable. We also could meet our plans in arranging the financial facilities that we require for developing some of our projects.
Q. One of the topics which will be addressed at IPF 2000 is regional cooperation. What advantages, in the long run, this initiative can have for the region's petrochemical producers?
A. The fact is that we, the region's producers I mean, are in the same boat. We need to enter into dialogue so that we can serve our common interests. Petrochemical industry is capital intensive and we need to orchestrate our efforts to avert problems like over-capacity. Cooperation at regional level is a useful approach for stabilizing petrochemical markets. The idea of regional cooperation is also in line with the strategy of the Government of the Islamic Republic of Iran.
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