Alireza Moniri Abiyaneh, during a visit alongside
the Deputy Minister of Petroleum and CEO of the National Petrochemical Company
(NPC) to the Chabahar-based projects, emphasized that after the Supreme
Leader's emphasis on Makran's development in the late 2000s, the government
approved the establishment of the country's third petrochemical hub in this
region in 2011.
Highlighting the completion of the value chain in
this area as a focus of the Ministry of Petroleum and the NPC, Abiyaneh stated
that Shastaan Commercial Investment Company was tasked with the developmental
role in this region, leading to the formation of Negah-e-Makran Petrochemical
Development Company.
Currently, four active investors have collectively
invested €8 billion in developing petrochemical units in the region, with
expectations that the first petrochemical unit in Makran will begin operational
activities by late 1403 or early 1404.
The expansion of petrochemicals in the Makran
region presents the opportunity for Iran to access new markets for
petrochemical exports, including increased demand from countries like China,
India, and Pakistan.
Abiyaneh pointed out that in the initial five
years of initiating the project, necessary infrastructure groundwork for the
region's development had been undertaken. The required gas supply line for this
hub had been organized in collaboration with the National Iranian Gas Company,
reaching the complex last year.
He noted that the hub has a daily gas feed capacity
of 30 million cubic meters and detailed plans for the establishment of four
small-scale natural gas liquidation plants (mini-LNG) based on the Ministry of
Oil and National Petrochemical Industries Company's directives.
Abiyaneh highlighted the definition of six major
petrochemical units in the first phase of the Makran Petrochemical Complex,
including five gas-to-anything (GTA) units and one urea and ammonia unit,
derived from the products of the initial phase.
In a groundbreaking move, the Methanol-to-Olefin
(MTO) project, the first of its kind in Iran, is being executed by the Bakhtar
Holding.
Ensuring maximum utilization of indigenous
capabilities, Abiyaneh affirmed their commitment by establishing the first
technical and vocational school for petrochemicals to empower the workforce.
He outlined the participation of various
commercial entities in different units within the Makran Petrochemical Complex,
indicating the completion and operationalization of two Methanol units by
Bakhtar Holding as the initial completed units in the complex, set to begin
operations in the spring of 1404.
The projected return on investment for the Makran
Petrochemical Complex, excluding utilities, is estimated to exceed 27% and is
anticipated to recoup the investment in less than four years.