TEHRAN (PIN) – Official in charge of Polymer Arya Sasol site (the ninth olefin plant) at Pars Special Economic Energy Zone announced that pre-commissioning the plant has been started.

Alireza Rastegar told Petroenergy Information Network that the operations will go on until April 30 and mechanical phase of the project will begin afterwards. He stated that mechanical operations will take three months and then, pre-commissioning will be finished.

The official noted that the first commercial unit of the plant will start operation at 40 percent of nominal capacity in September. “If water, electricity and steam are supplied on time by Mobin Petrochemical Complex, all predetermined goals will be achieved,” he noted.

Rastegar stated that after the plant is pre-commissioned, pre-commissioning other plants of the complex including low density linear polyethylene, high density polyethylene, and medium polyethylene will start at 2-3 months intervals.

He said that needed feedstock for the complex will be supplied by Pars Petrochemical Complex.

Rastegar stipulated that ethane cracker plant has progressed 95.06 percent, high density and medium polyethylene has progressed 92.37 percent, low density linear polyethylene has progressed 84.8 percent and offsite unit of the complex has progressed 89.82 percent.

He stated that total progress of the ninth olefin project has been reported at 90.90 percent during the first 11 months of the current Iranian calendar year (started March 21, 2005).

The ninth olefin project will lead to annual production of 400,000 tons ethylene, 90,000 tons carbon 3 cut, 300,000 tons medium and high density polyethylene as well as 300,000 tons low density polyethylene. The project’s products will be used to make home appliances, films, utensils, industrial parts, pipes, bags and cable covering. Feedstock for the ninth olefin project includes ethane, propane, hexane and propylene, which are supplied by Pars Petrochemical Complex and other domestic sources.