RIL commissions final phase of Jamnagar paraxylene project

Reliance Industries on Thursday announced commissioning of the second and final phase of paraxylene project at Jamnagar in Gujarat.

The project is part of the $16 billion investment it is making in expanding petrochemical production capacity to lower feedstock and fuel costs and boost profits.

"Reliance is executing major projects in its energy and materials chain at Jamnagar covering para-xylene, cracker complex along with downstream plants and gasification," a company statement said here.

Paraxylene is used to make building blocks for fibre and films.

The projects, it said, will add significant value to Reliance's refining and petrochemical business and enable Jamnagar complex to achieve energy self-sufficiency.

 

"Reliance is pleased to announce the successful and flawless commissioning of the second and final phase of para- xylene (PX) comprising of PX crystallizers trains, trans- alkylation and aromatic extraction units at Jamnagar," it said.

Earlier in December 2016, it had announced successful commissioning of the first phase comprising Train 1 of PX plant. Train 2 as part of second phase has been commissioned earlier this month and the last Train 3, is at an advanced stage of commissioning and will begin production later this quarter.

"With the commissioning of this plant, RIL's PX capacity will be more than double. Reliance will emerge as the world's second largest producer of PX with about 11 per cent of global production," the statement said.

RIL is investing $4.6 billion in an integrated gasification combined cycle (IGCC) project that will convert captive petrocoke to synthetic gas (syngas) which can be used to generate power, steam and hydrogen, which currently are being produced using expensive imported LNG.

Refinery off-gas from this unit will be used to extract petrochemical compounds like ethane, ethylene, propylene, butanes and propanes at a $4.5 billion Refinery off-gas cracker (ROGC). Another $5 billion is being spend on expanding polyester production capacity.

The firm spent another $1.5 billion to import ethane from US to replace higher cost propane imports and naphtha.

"Reliance has completed installation of cracker and downstream projects at Jamnagar in the previous quarter and pre- commissioning and start-up activities are in full swing," it said.