Iran’s Zagros Petrochemical plans methanol plant turnaround

11 November 2010 09:20  [Source: ICIS news]

SINGAPORE (ICIS)--Zagros Petrochemical Co (ZPC) is planning to shut one of its two methanol plants at Assaluyeh, Iran, in the next two to three weeks for a turnaround, a source from the marketer Iran Petrochemical Company said on Thursday.

The two 1.65m tonnes/year plants each, called Zagros I and II, are running at 60-70% due to a shortage of power and water.

It was not possible to run the two plants - with a combined capacity of 3.3m tonnes/year - simultaneously at full rates due to the utilities shortage, the source said.

It was not clear which plant would shut, although it was likely to be Zagros I as it had not undergone maintenance for some time and was the older of the two, added the source.

No firm dates were established, the source said.

Operating rates would be decreased slowly at the chosen plant from possibly early December, hence the company did not have much material to sell on a spot basis, the source said.

ZPC is 50% owned by the state-run National Petrochemical Company of Iran. Other shareholders include the National Iranian Oil Company Pension Fund (17%), Chimi Pooshineh Industrial Group (16.5%) and Alyaf Morvarid Trading (16.5%).

Methanol is used to make formaldehyde, methyl tertiary butyl ether (MTBE), methylamines, methyl methacrylate (MMA) and acetic acid. It is also used as a solvent in chemical industries.

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By: Heng Hui
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