Page 135 - CW E-Magazine (18-6-2024)

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PETROCHEMICALS

GAIL formally announces plans for new ethane

cracker in MP

State-run GAIL (India) Ltd. has on petrochemicals. In FY25, it has
formally announced plans to set up again projected a capex of around
a massive ethane cracker project at Rs. 11,500-crore out of which
Ashta, district Sehore in Madhya Pradesh Rs. 5,200-crore, or roughly 45 percent,
with an investment of Rs. 60,000-crore. will be on petrochemicals.
The project, which aims to produce PRODUCT RANGE
1.5-mtpa of ethylene, is set to bolster Besides, GAIL Mangalore Petro-
GAIL’s position in the petrochemical chemicals plant, which was acquired
industry signifi cantly. GAIL plans to develop a 70-hectare through the NCLT process (erstwhile
township for the project. The ground- JBF Petrochemicals), is expected to be
In a stock exchange disclosure, the breaking ceremony is expected to take completed by March 2025. The plant’s
company said it has submitted its re- place by February 2025, with com- capacity is 1,250-ktpa. Its ongoing
quest to the Madhya Pradesh govern- mercial production commencing in projects also include petrochemical
ment to provide suitable enablers for 2030-31. capacities of 610-ktpa at Usar (Maha-
the project. “Around 800 hectares of rashtra) and Pata.
land will be provided by the MP Indus- Petrochemicals push
trial Development Corporation Ltd., for This new initiative is part of GAIL’s This March, the company had
which the State Government has already strategy to diversify its business and signed a tripartite memorandum of un-
initiated the process,” GAIL said in the enhance its footprint in the global petro- derstanding (MoU) with Oil and Natu-
fi ling. The fi ling further mentioned that chemicals market. ral Gas Corporation (ONGC) and Shell
the investment approval from GAIL’s Energy India to explore opportunities
board would be sought following a At present, GAIL has a petrochemi- for the import of ethane and other hy-
favourable resolution of the project cals capacity of 8,10,280 tonnes. drocarbons. The MoU would also ex-
enablers. amine the development of evacuation
GAIL spent 30 percent of its total infrastructure at Shell Energy Terminal,
In addition to the ethane cracker, capex of Rs. 11,426-crore in FY24 Hazira.

Birla Carbon plants in Brazil, Hungary, and Egypt

secure ISCC PLUS certifi cation

Aditya Birla Group firm and car- a signifi cant milestone in our sus-
bon black specialist, Birla Carbon, tainability journey. As we keep
has announced that four more of its securing our certifi cations world-
plants – Cubatão and Camaçari in wide, we are bolstering our com-
Brazil, Tiszaújváros in Hungary, and mitment to sustainable and trace-
Alexandria in Egypt, have secured able practices, setting industry
the ISCC PLUS certification. The benchmarks, and driving toward
company had earlier this year re- a more sustainable future.”
ceived the certifi cations for its plants
in Italy, the USA, South Korea, and The company said the certifi -
India. Birla Carbon, said, “We are delighted cation process for the rest of its plants
to announce that our plants in Brazil, is currently underway and is slated for
Speaking on the development, Hungary, and Egypt have achieved completion through the remainder of
Mr. John Loudermilk, President and CEO, ISCC PLUS certifi cation, representing CY 2024.

134 Chemical Weekly June 18, 2024 Chemical Weekly June 18, 2024 135

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