Tehran plays host to the sixth international Iran Petrochemical Forum (IPF 2004) on 1-2 May 2004. Drawing a large number of local and foreign participants, the Forum opens work at the IRIB International Conferences Center.
The event, organized by the National Petrochemical Company (NPC) in collaboration with IICIC, officially opens by the Iranian petroleum minister Bijan Namdar Zanganeh. Several other high ranking Iranian government officials address the gathering including Mohammad Sattarifar, Vice President and head of the Planning and Management Organization, Mohammad Khazaee, deputy minister of economic affairs and finance, and Mohammad Reza Nematzadeh deputy petroleum minister for petrochemicals and NPC president. The proceedings consist of eight sessions.
Several leading international companies and institutions will address the IPF 2004, including IFP, Total, Basell Poliolefine, Indian Oil Corp., Sud Chemie, Lurgi, Technip, Toyo Engineering, Linde, PCI-Xylene & Polyesters Ltd., SRI Consulting, CMAI, Chemical Intelligence, Nexant/Chem Systems, DIA Research Martech Inc., Ronald Berger Strategy Consultants, HSBC, and JBIC.
Topics on the Forum's agenda cover some of the major issues facing the petrochemical industry. They include: "Globalization; How to be competitive in the future economy", "Probing the potential resources for sustainable development", "Future of product movement", "Challenges for future growth", "Investment opportunities", "Improved margins through capacity development" and "Challenges & opportunities".
On the sidelines of the Forum, an exhibition is held in the same venue where companies active in oil, gas and petrochemical can exhibit their services and products.
The two-day event is followed by a day trip to the Petrochemical Special Economic Zone in Mahshahr and the Pars Special Economic/Energy Zone in Assaluyeh. NPC has been developing several petrochemical projects at the Zones.
The event is sponsored by Axens Basell, HSBC, Linde, Lurgi, Nargan, NIGC, PIDEC, Sazeh, Shell, Snamprogetti, Syna, Technicas Reunidas, Tecnimont, Total and Uhde.
IPF 2004 has drawn over 1300 local and foreign delegates. Its media sponsors include Arab Oil & Gas, Argus Media, Asian Chemical News (ACN), Chemical Market Reporter (CMR), Caspian Investor, European Chemical News (ECN), IranOilGas, MEES, PetroleumIran.Com, Platts and Petroleum Technology Quarterly (ptq).