SOCAR GPC (www.socargpc.az), a gas-processing project of the State Oil Company of Azerbaijan Republic (SOCAR), has selected UNIPOL PE Technology licensed by Univation Technologies (Houston; www.univation.com) for use in its world-scale polyethylene (PE) plant to be built in Garadagh, Azerbaijan. This project represents the first UNIPOL PE Process licensed in Azerbaijan and by SOCAR.
The new polyethylene facility will have be designed to produce 600,000 metric tons per year (m.t./yr) of polyethylene, and will take advantage of the flexibility of the UNIPOL PE Process to manufacture conventional and advanced polyethylene products covering a broad range of both high-density polyethylene (HDPE), including HDPE injection molding grades, as well as linear low-density polyethylene (LLDPE) resin grades.
SOCAR GPC has also selected Univation’s XCAT Metallocene Polyethylene Technology for the manufacture of advanced metallocene film structures suitable for high-performance food packaging, stretch-wrap, heavy-duty sack and specialized multi-layer applications.
Production output from this new PE plant will be focused on satisfying growing polyethylene demand in both domestic and European markets in a wide range of goods.
As part of the Univation-Linde Alliance, Linde AG (Engineering Division) will complete the basic engineering design package (BEDP) for the project. In 2016, Univation and Linde Engineering entered into an Alliance relationship focused on delivering operating and capital cost advantages for both new build and retrofit projects for UNIPOL PE Technology.
“We are honored that SOCAR GPC has selected UNIPOL PE Technology as a key element in achieving their company’s vision for this exciting, new world-scale polyethylene project,” said Steven Stanley, President of Univation Technologies. “We look forward to working with both SOCAR GPC and Linde Engineering as together we move this project to a safe and successful start-up.”
According to SOCAR President Rovnag Abdullayev, choosing the UNIPOL PE Process for its proven, reliable manufacturing capability was critical in reaching the goals for the overall SOCAR GPC facility. Abdullayev stated, “The SOCAR GPC project is a significant cornerstone in creating an Azerbaijan-focused manufacturing hub that will include local end-use convertors and suppliers – and we are excited at the prospect of achieving greater value capture across the entire polyethylene conversion chain.”
Abdullayev continued, “The reliability and flexibility of the UNIPOL PE Process is a critical enabler for SOCAR GPC to participate in a broad variety of both domestic and export market segments including HDPE applications as well as conventional and metallocene-based LLDPE applications. We have confidence that this project’s success will allow SOCAR GPC to achieve our company’s goals of creating significant value for our customers, contributing to the growth of the Azerbaijan economy, and creating job opportunities for the local workforce.”