A file photo showing installations at an Iranian petrochemical plant[/caption]TEHRAN (FNA)- A senior petrochemical official said the necessary ethylene for Ilam Petrochemical Plant has been received through the West Ethylene Pipeline and the first phase of the petrochemical plant will start up this week.
Mohammad-Hossein Peyvandi, deputy head of National Petrochemical Company (NPC), told Shana that Ilam Petrochemical Plant is in the pre-commissioning stage and that the necessary feedstock has been supplied.
For the first time, ethylene has been received through the 135-kilometer West Ethylene Pipeline after final tests, Ilam Petrochemical Plant will start production, he said.
Peyvandi said polymerization tests were under way in the project, adding that the ethylene supplied to Ilam will vary.
The pipeline is designed to carry 150,000 tons of ethylene to Tabriz Petrochemical Plant. Lorestan, Mahabad and Kurdestan petrochemical plants are also to be fed by West Ethylene Pipeline.
The construction of the pipeline was first adopted in 2002 when Bijan Namdar Zanganeh was serving as petroleum minister. The entire pipeline stretches from Assaluyeh in southern Iran to West Azarbaijan Province in northwestern Iran.
Kavian Petrochemical Plant will convert ethane received from South Pars to ethylene to be injected into West Ethylene Pipeline. Eleven provinces and 14 petrochemical plants are located on the route of the pipeline. The 14 petrochemical plants are either operational or under construction with an investment of 8.5 billion dollars.
The first phase of the pipeline, which is 1,200 kilometers long, was launched by former president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.
The pipeline is known to be the longest ethylene transfer pipeline in the world.
Managing-Director of Ilam Petrochemical Plant Javad Kamari said recently that the plant was waiting for feedstock to start operation.
He said that Ilam Petrochemical Plant can receive 40 tons per hour of ethylene.
By Fars News Agency
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