IOC Aromatics and Purified Terephthalic Acid (PTA) Complex, Panipat, India

Indian Oil Corporation, (IOC), said to be India's largest commercial enterprise by sales, is investing Rs51 billion ($1.1 billion) to develop an aromatics and purified terephthalic acid (PTA) complex at Panipat, Haryana, India. The aromatics production will comprise 357,000tpa paraxylene (PX), 21,000tpa of benzene as well as 553,000tpa of PTA. The complex is scheduled to be commissioned in August 2005.

Once complete the PX and PTA will provide import substitution as well as export potential.

PROJECT LOCATION

The production facilities are being built at IOC's Panipat refinery, situated 100km from Delhi. Naphtha feedstock will be sourced from refineries at Panipat and Mathura. The aromatics and PTA production plants are part of IOC's plans to continually develop infrastructure at its production sites.

FINANCING

Development of the complex is being financed in part by a loan guarantee from the US Export-Import (Ex-Im) Bank. A loan of $75 million was granted in July 2003 which will support the export of technology, equipment and services for the project. ABN AMRO Bank is the arranger and guaranteed lender for the transaction.

PROJECT MANAGEMENT

Engineers India Limited was appointed as project management consultants for the aromatics and PTA production plants. The contract, which is said to be valued at RS1 billion, covers services including front-end engineering and design for the facilities.

CONSTRUCTION OF PURIFIED TERAPHTHALIC ACID (PTA) PLANT

During the first quarter of 2003, Larson & Toubro (L&T) was awarded the engineering, procurement, construction and commissioning contract by IOC for the 553,000tpa PTA plant. Mechanical completion is slated for May 2005 with an additional two months for commissioning. The PTA plant will be made up of two major parts, namely the crude terephthalic acid and the purified terephthalic acid units. Material handling facilities will also be built.

ENGINEERING OF PTA PLANT

Aker Kvaerner UK and Kvaerner Powergas India (KPGI) are providing residual basic engineering and the full range of detailed design engineering to Larsen & Toubro for the PTA plant. The entire design engineering package will be executed using 3D PDMS.

PTA TECHNOLOGY

DuPont advanced PTA technology will be used on the 553,000tpa production plant. DuPont claims that its technology offers a competitive advantage due to the low investment, conversion and energy cost performance. The technology is also said to have minimum environmental impact. DuPont will also provide IOC with training services, commissioning support and guidance during project execution.

PARAXYLENE (PX) PLANT CONSTRUCTION

Toyo Engineering India Limited (TEIL) has been appointed as project management consultants for the 357,000tpa paraxylene (PX) plant. This plant will include a Shell Sulfone Unit and Benzene-Toluene Fractionation.

PX TECHNOLOGY

UOP is supplying its technology for the PX plant.

TURBO MACHINERY

Larson & Toubro have placed an order with Germany's MAN Turbomaschinen to supply the turbo machinery train for the PTA plant. The turbo machinery train consists of an air compressor, expander, steam turbine and generator. After being designed, manufactured and tested by MAN Turbomaschinen, the machinery will be delivered in the summer of 2004.

FEEDSTOCK SUPPLY

A naphtha splitter, located at the Mathura refinery in Uttar Pradesh, is being built by Toyo Engineering India. The engineering, procurement construction and commissioning contract was awarded during August 2003. The splitter will have a capacity of 425,000tpa and will meet the requirements of the complex at Panipat. Further naphtha feedstock will be sourced from the Panipat refinery.