[2007-12-27]  Nejabat says Iran petrochemical projects will triple in
The National Petrochemical Company (NPC) Managing Director Gholamhossein Nejabat here Wednesday said Iran's petrochemical projects will have a 300 percent growth in 10 years.

He made the statement in a news conference at the end of five-day Conference on Modern Petrochemical Era in Pars Special Economic Energy Zone (PSEEZ), known as Assaluyeh.

The NPCNPC said domestic petrochemical output will soar to 98 million tons at the end of 10-year plan, 2014, fetching the country 20 billion dollars per annum.

"According to the plan, we have vowed to put 12 petrochemical complexes into operation in the current year (started March 21, 2007)," said the official, adding nine had already come on stream and four more would become operational by next March.

Nejabat said the two last petrochemical complexes of the first phase of Assaluyeh, Arya Sasol and Jam, would also start work by the yearend, March 19.

The NPCNPC chief said 15 billion dollars had been invested in the industry since 1996, adding 12.5 billion dollars had been allotted for petrochemical projects during the Fourth Five-Year Socioeconomic Development Plan (2005-2010).

He said the figure for the Fifth Five-Year Development Plan (2010-2015) would stand at 15.3 billion dollars, adding some of the related projects had kicked off.

Shifting to foreign investments in Iranian projects, he said the country and South Africa had made a 1.3 billion dollar investment in Arya Sasol complex, with the two sides holding 50 percent share each.

He pointed to Mehr Petrochemical Complex, in which Japan and Thailand had participated, Karun Petrochemical Complex that was under construction in collaboration with Germany and Sweden, and Laleh Petrochemical Complex that will be built through cooperation of Saudi Arabia.

"According to the prediction, the country is to earn five billion dollars through exports of petrochemical products in the current (Iranian) year," recalled the official, vowing the figure will rise to 5.6 billion dollars within the yearlong period.


Source: Zawya