Mangalore Refinery begins commercial production of polypropylene

Mangalore Refinery and Petrochemicals Ltd (MRPL), a subsidiary of Oil and Natural Gas Corporation Ltd (ONGC), has begun commercial production of polypropylene from its new unit as a part of its phase III expansion plan. “MRPL has successfully commenced commercial production of polypropylene from its polypropylene (PP) plant as part of its phase III refinery expansion and upgradation project on June 18, 2015,” said MRPL in a BSE filing. The plant has capacity to produce 440,000 tonne per annum (TPA) of polypropylene.
 
The feed stock for the polypropylene plant, polymer grade propylene, is being produced from upstream petrochemical fluidised catalytic cracking unit (PFCCU). The technology for the polypropylene plant, which has been engineered and constructed by Engineers India Limited, has been provided by Novolen of Germany.
 
With the commercial production of PP unit, MRPL will be able to meet the polypropylene demand from industries such as textile, automobile, plastic product processors, etc in the south India. MRPL PP unit is the only plant in South India, which is estimated to have 5 lakh tonnes per annual demand for polypropylene.
 
The polypropylene unit has been set up at an estimated Rs 1,803 crore as part of the refinery’s third phase of expansion. MRPL has completed its phase III expansion project - which included capacity addition of 3 MMTPA, polypropylene unit and single point mooring (SPM) facility - with the commissioning of petrochemical fluidised catalytic cracking unit (PFCCU).
 
As part of its diversification strategy, Mangalore Refinery and Petrochemicals has recently increased its holding from 3 percent to 46 percent in ONGC Mangalore Petrochemicals (OMPL). Being situated adjacent to MRPL phase III, OMPL will be in a position to receive feedstock directly from MRPL.