Reliance petro may double Jamnagar SEZ area

Reliance Petroleum Ltd (RPL) is planning to more than double the area of its special economic zone at Jamnagar from 4,000 acres now to around 10,000 acres.

The SEZ is owned by Reliance Infrastructure Ltd. The company's new 30 million tonne capacity refinery, which is coming up on the SEZ, will process 580,000 barrels per day.

The existing refinery, which processes 660,000 barrels per day, is located on an area of 7,500 acres. While RPL executives refused to comment on the issue, sources close to the developments said the additional area was needed as downstream petrochemicals projects could use naphtha, paraxylene, petcoke and aromatics to be produced by the refinery as feedstock.

The company has plans to invite global giants like Dow Chemicals, Royal Dutch/Shell, Mitsubishi Chemicals, Nippon, ExxonMobil, Huntman and Borealis.

Detailed presentations have already been made to these companies to focus on five major polymer products -- polypropylene, PVC, PTA, LDPE and isopropyl alcohol.

All five polymer products earmarked for them have tremendous growth potential in India as well as in China. Problems related to refining capacities in Europe and logistical issues have forced them to look for production facilities outside the US and Europe.

One of the world's largest polymer producer, Dow Chemicals, has been on the lookout for investment opportunities in the Indian petrochemicals business.