Russian-owned Indian refiner Nayara Energy expects to start producing polypropylene (PP) at its new 450,000 t/yr plant in Vadinar, Gujarat state from the fourth quarter of 2023.
Nayara in 2019 announced the construction of a polypropylene plant at its 400,000 b/d Vadinar refinery complex to mark its entry into the petrochemical market. The refiner also secured 40bn rupees ($489mn) long-term debt from state-owned lender State Bank of India in 2021 to fund the project.
Construction of the PP unit was 85pc complete, the refiner said in late December 2022. This includes a revamp of a gasoline-producing fluid catalytic cracking (FCC) unit during a planned turnaround at the refinery in November. The revamped unit was commissioned on 20 December and achieved full throughput on 23 December, Nayara said, without giving further details.
"This capability will serve us well for our larger phase II project, which will be an integrated petrochemical complex," Nayara's chief executive officer Alois Virag said. The PP unit is part of Nayara's phase-one expansion into petrochemical products in India.
Pre-commissioning activity at the PP plant will start in February and the focus will be on completing piping and building works in the coming months, Nayara said.
Hara Capital Sarl, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Italy-based energy investment firm Mareterra, bought a 24.5pc stake in Nayara Energy from Trafigura on 11 January. Mareterra has also committed to supporting the refiner's strategy to become a major petrochemical producer, Trafigura said.
