INTRODUCTION

TO
PETROCHEMICALS
 Module-1

What are Petrochemicals?

 What are Petrochemicals?
•  A “petrochemical” is any chemical
derived, directly or indirectly from
petroleum or natural gas or obtained
from hydrocarbons and utilized in
industrial & household markets(.)
• Starting material, also called raw
material, undergoes chemical
transformation, using heat or a
catalyst wherein desired product as
well as by-products are obtained in
special equipment called reactor(.)
 What Are Petrochemicals?.
• The finished product is separated
from the rest employing unit
operations, like distillation,
crystallization, centrifuging, drying,
etc(.)
• The product is then stored, its quality
checked, and if found suitable,
packed for sale. The by-products are
also useful materials, which find
applications(.)
 What are Petrochemicals?
• Petroleum Ref., petrochemicals---- Polymer
is a chain in real sense and the three
industries should think in brotherly unison(.)

• If there is any dislocation in one of the

segments, the whole chain or cycle feels
the termer(.)

• Petrochemicals like Ethylene, Propylene

and Benzene are converted to a multitude
of Intermediate and products on large scale
throughout the world(.)
 What are Petrochemicals ?
• Most organic chemical products.

• Compounds or elements derived

from Petroleum/NG

• Same composition , structure and

properties as corresponding non
petroleum derived sources.
 Is Asprin a PC?
• Likely that same C-atoms and H-atoms
comes from petroleum/NG.

• Yet it is not a PC.

• PC made on large scale.

• Phenol and acidic anhydride are PC

and aspirin derived from them is not.
 What large scale mean?
• Roughly it means plant capacities

> 10,000 t/a.

•95% of total organic chemical
manufacture is presently based on
petroleum and NG.
 Share of Crude Oil
• Only 8% of world production of
Crude oil Used for manufacture of
PC.

• USA 5% of petroleum used as raw

material for chemical
manufacture.
 Are PC by products of
Refining ?
• Part of chemical Industry.

• Uses same products of refining as

raw material.

• Two separate organizations.

• Need of Hour.
 Evolution
• Prior 1919, organic chemicals
manufactured from coal ,wood and
agricultural raw material.
• Resources enough to meet the small
demand of organic chemicals .
• Demand became large with progressive
civilization.
• Availability of agricultural raw material
like cotton, rubber, sugarcane
dependent on natural phenomena.
 Evolution
• Inadequate supply of raw material of
vegetable origin prompted search for
alternative source.
• Lead to the birth of synthesis organic
material as substitute for natural
essential commodities.
• Due to advantage of synthetic
chemicals on natural material their
demand grew.
 Growth

Partially Synthetic Polymer:-

Wood pulp Nitrocellulose( Process able)

Nitration

Camphor Celluloid (clear ,tough, moldable product)

Plasticizer

Applications:- Combs ,brushes, Photographic films.

 Growth
• 1908-Bakelite (First synthetic
commercial plastic).

• 1918 Petroalcohol process for Making

isopropyl alcohol from propylene
Obtained from petroleum refining.

• 1919-Polyvinyl Acetate.

• 1925 TEL from petroleum E.I du Pont

De nemours and Co, USA invention.
 Growth

• 1926 CH3OH, CH3CHO and

HCHO synthesized from
petroleum sources
• 1931-Poly Acrylates
• 1936-Poly Vinyl Chloride
• 1938-Nylon & Polystyrene
• 1942-Polyethylene & Polyester
• 1947-Epoxides
 Growth
• 1953-Polyurethane

• 1957-Polypropylene

• 1964-Polyamides

• 1969-Nitrocellulose

• 1973-Polybutylene

• 1977-Linear low density polyethylene

 Growth
• World war II helped the Industry.
• Demands for explosives, natural rubber
substitutes and other chemicals led to the
development of synthetic ammonia.
HNO3
• Ammonia Nitroglycerin explosive

Toluene (TNT)

• Styrene for SBR (Known as Govt. rubber

Synthetic (GRS) from petroleum.
 Growth
• The remarkable growth could be
judged by from the following
• 1930 10 Petrochemicals
• 1940 35 Plants
• 1951 94 Plants
• 1957 372
Petrochemicals
Plants
 Growth Specific Product
• Plastic , rubber and synthetic fiber
--------Second largest petrochemicals
volume today.
• Growth of Petrochemicals and
discoveries made in polymer field
interrelated.
• Discovery of Zeigler- Natta Catalyst
for low pressure polymerization of
olefins acted as a great stimulant for
dev. of ethylene production
technology from petroleum
 Zeigler Natta
• Combination of certain metal transition
Compounds and organic metallic compounds.
• Catalyst/Co-catalyst:-
1) Titanium Trichloride + Diethylaluminium
chloride
(TICl3) (Al(C2H5)2Cl)

2) Titanium Tetrachloride +
Triethylaluminium
(TICl4) (Al(C2H5)3)
 New Vistas
• Zeigler-Natta responsible for stereo
specific polymerization.
• Synthetic Rubber Industry-Helped
growth>Polybutadiene(PBR)>Polyisopr
ene Rubber (PIR)
• Large demand of PBR and PIR helped
growth of Industry.
• High purity Terephthalic acid directly
from p-xylene oxidation (A
breakthrough reaction).
• Demand for polyester Fibers
augmented.
 Then Remarkable Process
• SOHIO process for propylene
ammoxidation to acrylonitrile.
• CH2=CH-CH3+NH3+3/2O2 CH2=CH-CN
+ 3H20
• Acrylonitrile global demand= 6 mmtpa
(Acrylic fibre & thermo plastic –
(SAN,ABS))
• An example how demand for a cheap
monomer in polymer industry led to
the spectacular advances in
petrochemical technology.
 KEY Petrochemicals
• Ethylene-Polyethylene,
• Propylene---Polypropylene
• Butylene----Butadiene
• BTX-----DMT,PTA
• Chemicals
>Cumene, acrylonitrile, Propylene
oxide
>Isopropyl Alcohol
>Oxo aldehyde
>Oxo Alcohols and Acrolin
 Conventional Technologies
• Steam cracking (Mainly thermal
cracking product gas rich etc).
• Feed stocks steam cracking.
>Ethane Propane.
>Naptha –Better feed stock.
>Gas oil.
By product of conventional FCC.
 Steam Cracking
• Short residence time.

• Improved coil geometeries.

• On line decoking.

• Inspite of these improvements did

not result in yield improvements in
respect of Propylene.
 Estimation
• 1 MMTPA capacity conventional FCC
unit of Indian refineries would
produce 25 to 31TPA of propylene
depending on Catalyst and process
conditions.

• This order of production is

insufficient for large scale propylene
plant.
 Modern Technologies
• Emerging FCC option DCC, NRCC &
additive ZSM-5.
1.Catalytic dehydrogenation
(Endothermic)
oleflex (UOP),Catofin (ABB lumus),
star (Phillips Petroleum),
FBP-4 (Snamprogetti SPA).
2.Oxidative Dehydrogenation.
3.Oxidative coupling of Methane.
4.Methanol to olefin MTO (UOP).
5. POCT.
 Overview of Petrochemical Industry
• The global chemical industry is reported to
be valued at $3 trillion i.e., nearly 4% of
global GDP($77.6 trillion) and the share of
petrochemicals is placed at 40%.
• In the last couple of decades, India has
progressed very well in the field of
petrochemical production.($12 billion PC
industry).
• World scale capacity plants have been
established based on the latest
technologies available.
 Overview
• Safety records commendable .
• Several downstream plastics
processing industries and polyester
fiber/filaments set up .
• Capacity has exceeded domestic
demand.
• The quality of the products meets
the international standards and finds

overseas markets.
 High Growth Rate
• High growth in consumption of
petrochemicals in India, estimated to
be 12 to 14 per cent per year.
• Indian consumption is well below the
world average.
• For instance, the per capita
consumption of plastics is only 3.6 kg.
While the world average is 17.5 kg.
• Synthetic fiber 1.8kg Per capita
compared to world average of 3.8kg.
Required=12 kg per person
 Market Variations
• The prices of petrochemical products
fluctuate in a cyclic manner in the
international markets over a span of 3 to 4
years.
• In the Indian context, petrochemicals
flourished under the dual protection of
high tariff and the license-raj until
liberalization started in the ‘90s.
• Capacity ceilings were removed,
industrial licensing made redundant and
clear road map on tariff reduction was
spelt
 Market Variations

• Ubiquitous:
(plastics are everywhere).
• Capital intensive.
• Cyclical
(prone to bouts of over expansion).

• High volume
cheap price (a true commodity)
• Closely linked to consumer goods
(packaging, toys, electronics, apparel, paints,
autos, housing)
 Market variations.

• Driven by oil & gas

• Opaque market
• Diverse
•(Market is fragmented into small
niche sectors)
• But there is a clear Core (Aromatics,
Olefins, Polymers)
Prices Impacted by Multiple
Factors
Related Unexpected
Upstream Markets Weather
Markets

Supply Price Demand

Plant Downstream
Expansion Markets
The
Economy
Plastics: the main end uses for
Petrochemicals

Polymers
325-mil
ton

Global Petchem Output = around

600-700 million ton
 Capacity Of Production
• Capacity of petrochemical production
in India stands at 8 to 10 million tones
with an asset base exceeding
Rs.70,000 crores including downstream
processing to finished goods.
• In the 12th five-year plan period, the
total investment planned for the
industry was approx. above Rs.80,000
crores. About 25% of the total
domestic production is envisaged to be
exported.
 Applications
• Commodity plastics have found
large-scale applications in
agriculture, horticulture and
floriculture.

• Performance polymers are the

cost-effective substitutes for
metal, wood and glass in aviation
and white goods industry.
 Applications.
• They also find many new applications
in medical, electrical, electronics and
telecommunication sectors employing
advanced technologies and enhancing
safety and reliability factors.

• In the recent times, engineering

plastics have found novel applications
through new material developments
and designs.
 Value Addition
• Starting from crude oil or natural gas
which is the basic hydrocarbon to
produce petrochemicals, a large
variety of end-products are marketed
at much higher prices.

• This phenomenon adds more value to

the products in relation to the basic
feedstocks.
 Value Addition
• Taking an example value of Crude
oil at (say) $30/ barrel (or
$120/tonne) when fractionated
gives naphtha as one of the
streams.

• Naphtha is produced at
$150/tonne, i.e., nearly1. 5 times
higher than crude oil.
 Value Addition
• Naphtha on cracking produces
ethylene and the latter is priced at $
290 to 300/ tonne. Polyethylene is
produced from ethylene and it costs $
440 to 460/ tonne.
• Thus in ultimate analysis there is a
large amount of value addition taking
place starting from crude oil to end
polymers.
 Value Chain From Refinery Streams
PSF
TEXTILES
HAN PX PTA PFY
FILMS,
Products from High Aromatic Naphtha PET BOTTLES

L/LLDPE BOTTLES, FILM, PIPE,

PLASTICS
ETHYLENE
HDPE
LAN
LUGGAGE, FURNITURE,
PROPYLENE PP FILMS, CONTAINERS ETC.

Products from Low Aromatic Naphtha

SK N-PARAFFINS LAB DETERGENTS

Products from Kerosene

42
Petrochemical value chain
Optimizing Costs and Assets
From Methane to Methanol to
MTBE
Value Chain Example
 Economics Of Scale
• When the market demand for the
petrochemicals was low in India
say in the 1970s, the capacities of
the plants were small.
• NOCIL naphtha cracker built in
early 60s had 60,000 tpa ethylene
capacity and IPCL’s cracker built
in 1978 has 130,000 tpa.
 Plant Size
• Cracker of IPCL built in 1989 has
300,000 tpa ethylene capacity.
• A world scale ethylene plant
capacity is 300,000 tpa which is
minimum economic size.
• Reliance has set up the naphtha
cracker of 750, 000 tpa ethylene
capacity
 Capital Cost Of PC Plant
• There is no doubt that the capital cost
of the petrochemical plant increases
with plant capacity.
• The normal cost relation is
(PC1/PC2)=(C1/C2)**0.6, where PC1,
PC2 are different plant capacities and
C1 and C2 are capital cost of the
corresponding plant capacities
respectively.
• In shorts the cost of production
diminishes with higher plant capacity.
Development OF Indian Petrochemical
Industry
• Development of Indian petrochemical
sector has emerged successfully over
the last three decades.
• To start with private sector
established plants of small capacities
in the 60s.
• In the 70s IPCL in public sector
established the integrated
petrochemical complex under one roof
at Baroda.
 Development
• It also gave boost to Research and
Development in the relevant field. Later in
late 80s IPCL built a world capacity gas
cracker complex.
• In the private sector reliance established
polyester/aromatics complex and later a
very large capacity naphtha cracker
complex at Hazira.
• In the 90s IPCL, GAIL and Haldia
Petrochemicals commissioned three more
cracker complexes.
 Development
• During the last two /three
decades several downstream
plastics processing industries and
polyester fibre/filaments are set
up and their capacity has
exceeded domestic demand.
• Thus India has now entered
export market in petrochemicals.
 MODULE - 2

Classification of Petrochemicals
CLASSIFICATION OF PETROCHEMICALS

• FIRST GENERATION PETROCHEMICALS

•SECOND GENERATION PETROCHEMICALS

• THIRD GENERATION PETROCHEMICALS

 FIRST GENERATION
PETROCHEMICALS :

• Chemicals directly available from petroleum

crude or natural gas either by fractionation,
isomerization, cracking.

• Represent the basic petrochemicals which are

the building blocks for various chemical
synthesis.
Examples of First Generation Petro chemicals:

• Methane, Ethane, Propane.

• Ethylene, Propylene, Butylenes, Acetylene
Butadiene.
• Aromatics such as Benzene, Toulene, Xylenes.
• These can be sub grouped as aliphatic, olefins,
acetylene, dienic, naphthenic and aromatics basic
petrochemicals.
Refinery Streams For Petrochemicals/ Chemicals
PROPYLENE PETROCHEMICALS /
CRACKED LPG CHEMICALS
BUTENE, BUTANE

PETROL

NAPHTHA FERTILIZERS
HAN
POWER PLANTS
LAN
PETROCHEMICALS/
AROMATICS
CHEMICALS
REFINERY

ETHYLENE
NAPHTHA PETROCHEMICALS/
CRACKER PROPYLENE
CHEMICALS
BUTADIENE

PETROCHEMICALS/
KEROSENE N-PARAFFINS
CHEMICALS

FUEL

57
SECOND GENERATION
PETROCHEMICALS:
• Not present as such as petroleum or crude oil.
• Cannot be obtained by simple operations such as
reforming, cracking or hydro cracking.
• Derivatives of first generation petrochemicals.
• Second generation petrochemicals are the intermediate
chemicals and constitute as the raw materials for
consumer products like plastic, rubbers, fibers, dyes etc.
Examples of Second Generation Petrochemicals:

• Styrene (derived from benzene and ethylene).

• Dimethyl Terephthalate (derived from p-xylene)
• Ethylene glycol (derived from ethylene)
• Vinyl chloride monomer
• Adipic Acid (derived from benzene)
• Acrylonitrile (derived from propylene)
Intermediates and Derivatives
• Petrochemical intermediates are generally produced by
chemical conversion of primary petrochemicals to form
more complicated derivative products.
• Petrochemical derivative products can be made in a
variety of ways:
• Directly from primary petrochemicals.
• Through intermediate products which still contain
only carbon and hydrogen.
• Through intermediates which incorporate chlorine,
nitrogen or oxygen in the finished derivative.
• In some cases, they are finished products; in others,
more steps are needed to arrive at the desired
composition.
Aromatic Naphtha Based
Petrochemicals/ Chemicals
BENZENE CYCLOHEXANE CAPROLACTUM NYLON6,6

MALIECANHYDRIDE

TOLUENE DI-
TOLUENE
ISOCYANATE

O-XYLENE PHTHALIC ANHYDRIDE

AROMATIC
NAPHTHA XYLENE

P-XYLENE PURIFIED TEREPHTHALATE(PTA) /

DIMETHYL TEREPHTHALATE

61
Aromatic Naphtha Based Petrochemicals/
Chemicals

POLYETHYLENE TEREPHTHALATE (PET) BOTTLES, FILMS

PTA

POLYESTER STAPLE FIBER (PSF)

TEXTILES
POLYESTER FILAMENT YARN (PFY)

62
 THIRDGENERATION
PETROCHEMICALS
• Consumer commodities derived from second generation
petrochemicals.
• Represent most important commercial products such as:
Plastics, Rubbers, Fibers, Detergents etc.
• Some of these may directly synthesized from first
generation petrochemicals.

For instance Polybutadiene rubber is obtained by

polymerizing butadiene which is a basic petrochemicals.
Examples of Third Generation of chemicals
• Polystyrene (from styrene)
• Polyvinyl chloride (from vinyl chloride monomer)
• DDT (from Chlorobenzene)
• Azo dyes (from aniline)

Most of the plastic or rubbers are derived from second

generation Petrochemicals.
• Polybutadiene rubber is regarded as a third generation
petrochemical.
The classification can therefore be said to be a bit arbitrary.
Of all the processes used, one of the most
important is polymerization. It is used in
the production of plastics, fibers and
synthetic rubber, the main finished
petrochemical derivatives.
 Structure of Petrochemical Complexes
Raw Materials
Natural Gas , NGL, Condensate, Refinery
gases
Naphtha, Kerosene, Wax, Gas oil

Processes
Cracking , Reforming, Alkylation, Dealkylation
Disproportion , Isomerization , Partial
Oxidation Oligomerization

Basic Chemicals
Methane, Ethylene, Propylene, Syn Gas,
Butenes Butadiene, Benzene, Toluene ,
Xylene

Hydrogen, Oxygen , Oxidation, Nitration,

Chlorination, Hydrogenation,
Chlorine
Dehydrogenation ,
polymerization
Plastics & Resins Intermediates &
UF, PF, LDPE, Synthetic Fibres, Synthetic Rubber, Misc. Products,
LLDPE, HDPE, Nylon 6 SBR, BR, Dyes Drugs,
PVC , PP, Plastic Polyester, Acrylic Chloroprene, Detergents ,
etc Fibre Isoprene etc Fertilizers ,
Pesticides
END USE OF PETROCHEMICAL PRODUCTS

ACRYLIC Hand knitting yarn, Sweaters, T-Shirts,

FIBRE Cardigans, Shawls, blankets, Carpets in woolen
sector, Dress materials, Shirtings, Suitings,
Sarees, Furnishings, Casual Kintwear, Carbon
Fibre, etc.

PROPYLENE Glass Fibre Reinforcement

GLYCOL

ACETONE Solvents, Cosmetics, Drugs

POLYBUTADIENE Tyres(Radial), Retreading Compounds, Sports

Goods, Footwear, Rollers, Battery Boxes, Betting
Seats and Gaskets, hoses, mechanical goods, etc.
 END USE OF PETROCHEMICAL PRODUCTS
POLYVINYL ALCOHOL Vinyl based Products, Flooring.

ACRYLIC ACID Glacial Acrylic Acid, super Adsorbent

Polymers, Acrylic esters

STYRENE BUTADIENE Tires, tread rubber, molded & extruded

RUBBER mechanical goods, floor coverings, shoe soles &
heels, refrigerator gaskets etc.

POLYPROPYLENE Flat tapes, Woven Sacks, Fibrillated Yarn and

monofilaments for ropes and twines, strapping
film tubular quenched and oriented, pipes and
sheets, Houseware, Medical and Hospital use
products, blow moulded bottles, moulded
industrial products, staple fibre, moulded
luggage, etc.
 END USE OF PETROCHEMICAL
PRODUCTS
MTBE High Octane MS Component

MALEIC Fumaric Acid, Agricultural Chemicals(Meleic

ANHYDRIDE Hydrazide, Melathion)

BUTENE-1 Co-monomer for LLDPE/HDPE

METHYL Surface coatings, polymer modifier, Acrylic sheet

METHA (PMMA) for glazing, lighting, signage, displays,
ACRYLATE sanity ware etc.

BUTYL Tyres, tubes, mechanical goods, adhesives &

RUBBER sealants, pharmaceutical stoppers etc.

69
Petrochemical Industry in India
Name of the Year of Commissioning Key products
Company
Synthetic & 1963 Synthetic Rubber
Chemicals
Union Carbide, 1965 LDPE, Benzene,
Mumbai Carbon Black
ICI, Calcutta 1965 Polyester fiber
NOCIL, Thane 1968 Ethylene glycol,
Ethylene oxide
PIL, Mumbai 1968 HDPE
Polychem, Thane 1968 Polystyrene
Gujarat Refinery, 1969 DMT, Oxylane, m-
Baroda xylene

GSFC, Baroda 1977 Caprolactum

Petrofils Co- 1977 Polymer Fiber wool
operative Ltd. yarn
IPCL 1978-79 LDPE, PP, PVC,
PBR, Acrylic fiber
Petrochemical Industry in India
Name of the Year of Key products
Company commissioning
Bombay Dyeing 1984-85 DMT
BRPL, Bongaigaon 1984-85 DMT, Polyster,
Staple fiber
Patalganga 1987-88 PTA, LAB
TPL, Mandi(Tamil 1987-88 LAB
Nadu)
IPCL, Baroda 1988-89 PPCP, DSAF
IPCL, Nagothane 1989-93 PP, LDPE, LLDPE,
HDPE
RIL, Hazira 1991-93 PVC, HDPE,
LLDPE, MEG, TPA
Gandhar Gas 1997-98 VCM, PVC, HDPE,
Cracker-IPCL LDPE
RIL Jamnagar 1999-2001 PP
Haldia 2001-2002 LDPE, HDPE, PP
Petrochemicals
 IOCL PETROCHEMICALS
PRODUCTS AND SPECIALITIES

Product Manufacturd at Specifications End-uses

Carbon Black Feed Stock Barauni and Haldia Barauni Product: BMCI: Manufacture of Carbon
(CBFS) 115 min. Flash point:
Refineries 960C, min. Water content: Black
1% vol., max. Pour point:
240C, max. Kinematic
viscosity at 1000C: 20 cst,
max. Sulphur: 2.5% wt.,
max. Haldia Product:
BMCI: 78 min. Flash
point (COC): 950C, min.
Water content: 1% vol.,
max. Pour point: 420C,
max. Kinematic viscosity
at 98.90C: 18-86 cst, max.
Sulphur: 5.5% wt., max.
 IOCL PETROCHEMICALS
PRODUCTS AND SPECIALITIES
Product Manufacturd at Specifications End-uses
Food Grade Hexane Gujarat Refinery and As per IS: 3470-2002 As a solvent for
Chennai Petroleum extraction of edible oils
Corporation Limited from seeds, raw
material for solvent
extraction plants
Haldia Refinery Raw material for jute
Jute Batching Oil As per IS: 1758-1986 industry

Linear Alkyl Benzene Gujarat Refinery Process: UOP Detal Process; Manufacture of
(LAB) (Low Molecular Appearance:- Clear Detergents
Weight - LMW) Colourless, Odourless liquid;
Monoalkyl benzene – 98.6%
Min, Molecular Weight – 235-
239; Bromine No. – 10 max; 2-
phenyl isomer – 18-32;
Dialkyl tetralin – 1% max;
paraffin content- 0.4% max;
Moinsture – 200 ppm max;
Colour; +30 saybolt; Relative
Density – 0.855-0.870
 IOCL PETROCHEMICALS
PRODUCTS AND SPECIALITIES
Product Manufacturd at Specifications End-uses
Linear Alkyl Benzene Gujarat Refinery Process: UOP Detal Manufacture of
(LAB) (High Molecular Process; Appearance:- Detergents
Weight - HMW Clear Colourless,
Odourless liquid;
Monoalkyl benzene -
98.6% Min, Molecular
Weight - 239 -243;
Bromine No. - 10 max; 2-
phenyl isomer - 18-32;
Dialkyl tetralin - 1%
max; paraffin content-
0.4% max; Moinsture -
200 ppm max; Colour;
+30 saybolt; Relative
Density - 0.855-0.870
 IOCL PETROCHEMICALS
PRODUCTS AND SPECIALITIES
Product Manufacturd at Specifications End-uses
Micro Crystalline Wax Haldia Refinery Drop Melting point: Manufacture of cold
70-800C Ash content: creams, jellies
0.03% mass, max. Oil
content: 2% mass,
max. Colour ASTM:
0.5 max. Needle
penetration 100g/5sec:
25-35 Kinematic
viscosity at 98.90C: 15-
20 cst, max. Acidity
(Organic): 0.10 mg
KOH / gm max
Mineral Turpentine Haldia, Gujarat and As per IS: 1745-1978 Raw material for
Oil Panipat Refineries making paints,
thinners and
varnishes, also used
for dry cleaning of
clothes
 IOCL PETROCHEMICALS
PRODUCTS AND SPECIALITIES
Product Manufacturd at
Paraffin Wax Digboi Refinery and
Chennai Petroleum
Corporation Limited
Purified Terephthalic Panipat Refinery
Acid (PTA)
Specifications End-uses
As per IS: 4654-1993 Raw material for
making candles, wax
coated paper,
tarpaulin etc
Technology - Invista T Manufacture of
10; Appearance - Polyester, PET
White, Dry Free
Flowing Crystals; Acid
No - 675+/- 2 mg
KOH/g; 4 carboxyl
benzaldehyde - 25 ppm
max; Paratoulic Acid -
125 +/- 45 ppm; Ash -
6 ppm; Moisture -
0.2% max; Colour - 10
Hazen Units max;
Total significant
metals - 6 ppm max
 IOCL PETROCHEMICALS
PRODUCTS AND SPECIALITIES
Product Manufacturd at Specifications End-uses

Barauni, Digboi, As per IS: 8502-1994 Raw material for

Raw Petroleum Coke Guwahati Refineries making Calcined
and Bongaigaon Petroleum Coke for
Refineries and use by Aluminium
Petrochemicals industry
Limited
Sulphur All IndianOil Purity: 99.9% Colour: Manufacture of
Refineries,Chennai Yellow Shape: Lumps Sulphuric acid,
Petroleum Sulphur rolls etc.
Corporation Limited,
Bongaigaon Refineries
and Petrochemicals
Limited

Toluene As per IS:537-1967 Manufacture of

and explosives,chemicals,
Gujrat refinery
ASTM D 841-97 thinners etc.
 Synthetic Detergents-
Manufacture
• LAB Gujarat Unit.

• LAB Flow Scheme.

IOC’s LAB unit at Gujarat Refinery
• LAB unit at Gujarat Refinery:
– Commissioned in year 2004

– 120 TMTPA capacity

– The largest grass root single train kerosene to LAB

unit in the world

– Capex: Rs. 1248 crore and commissioned in 24

months
79
IOC’s LAB unit at Gujarat Refinery
• Feedstocks:

– Captive Kerosene generated from processing of variety

of crude oils – high sulphur and low sulphur

– Benzene available captively at the refinery

IOC’s LAB unit at Gujarat Refinery (contd..)

• Capacity of LAB unit : has a flexibility to

operate at 150,000MT/year – highest single unit
capacity.
• 93.3% Capacity Utilization in its full year of
operation.
• End-to-end value chain

81
 IOC’s LAB unit at Gujarat Refinery

• Two grades of LAB production targeted (catering to domestic as well

as exports):
– Low molecular wt. (235-239): Targeted for domestic market

– High molecular wt.(239-243): Targeted for export market

• State of the Art technology of Alkylation (DETAL) vis-à-vis HF
Alkylation of competitors (except Nirma) - better yield and lower
energy requirement
 LAB Flow Scheme
Kerosene Kero
Fuel

Kero
Prefrac Hydrot Molex
Kero reater n-
Paraffins
BENZENE

Heavy
Pacol DeFine PEP Detal Alkylate

Fuel
Fuel LAB
84
Functions of each unit in LAB Complex
S. No Process Units Function

1.      Kerosene To generate heart cut containing desired carbon range

  Fractionator of N-paraffins

2.      Kerosene To remove sulphur, nitrogen and other impurities to meet

  Hydrotreater downstream unit feed specifications

3.      Molex Separation of N-paraffins by Molecular sieve adsorption

 

4.      Pacol Conversion of paraffins to linear olefins over a fixed bed of

  catalyst

5.      PEP Removal of heavy aromatics by adsorption from feedstock ex-

  Pacol

6.      Define Reduction in Di-olefins content through hydrogenation

 

7.      DETAL Alkylation of linear olefins with Benzene in presence of catalyst

  to produce LAB
85
Operating conditions of units in LAB
Complex

Unit Pressure, Kg/cm2 Temperature, Deg. C

KERO HDT 90 300

MOLEX 2 250

PACOL 2 490

PEP 2 250

DETAL 1 250

87
 LAB Specifications
Property Domestic Market Export
Apperance Clear colourless liquid, Clear colourless liquid,
free from contamination free from contamination
MW 235 - 239 239 - 243
Relative density @20oC 0.855 - 0.870 0.855 - 0.870
Bromine Index 10 max 10 max klett
Paraffin content 0.4% max 0.4% max
DAT 0.5% max 0.5% max
2 Phenyl Alkanes, % wt. 25 min. 25 min.
C-chain length distribution 14-45% for C-10 & C-11 5-45% for C-10 & C-11
Sulfonability 98.6% min 98.6% min 88
 IndiAN Economy- Journey So FAR
1. Real Growth Rate ( high growth-----
India,Asia,world) Consumer Price inflation-
India,Asia,world
2. Population
3. Record Unemployment
4. Consumer Price
5. Exchange Rate Rs: US dollor
6. International Reserve ( Billion $)
Under fast track growth,with increasing household
income,increasing employment rate,steady economy&
growing forex reserve.
 Polymer growth- drivers and road
ahead.
Per capita polymer consumption is growing across various
regional market, driven by following drivers:
1.Growing active population: young India assured workforce for 50yrs.
2.Strong emergence of middle class and increase in consumption expenditure.
3.Growing urbanization.
4.Product introduction & substitution
5.Investment in infrastructure.
6.Elastomer , surfactants, synthetic fiber& plastic growth.
7.Growth rate ( 12.7% for polymer) higher than China ( 11.7% )
 Indian Petrochemical Industry
 Petrochemical contributes over 20% of total chemical sector
output
 Petrochemical annual consumption growth rate more than
10%
 Polymer 63% & Synthetic fiber 29% are the major
petrochemicals.
 Polymer growth rate more than two times of GDP in last
decade.
 High growth observed in polymer end use segment in last
decade. Consumer electronics,
consumerdurables,automobiles,construction,infrastructure &
packing.
Polymer usage is increasingly finding finding new applications- --
Growth driven by end use sector.
MODULE – 4
 Key Challenges- environmental
aspects
To achieve environmentally sustainable growth
through:
– Innovative methods of plastic waste management
– Recycling
– Development of bio-degradable polymers

Approach through:
– Setting up of dedicated plastic park to promote a
cluster concept for applications & recycling, which
would yield benefit to:
• Areas of technology development
• Best practices
• Market development
• Recycling of wastes 95
Challenges – Indian Petrochemical
Industry
Enablers – Indian Petrochemical
Industry
Enablers – Indian Petrochemical
Industry
Enablers – Indian Petrochemical
Industry
 Petrochemical R&D In India.
Main Institutes/ Companies
1.Central institute of plastic Engineering &
Technology (CIPET)
2.National Chemical Laboratory
3. Indian Institute of Chemical Technology.
4.Indian Institute of Petroleum.
5.National Institute of Interdisciplinary
Science & Technology.
6. North East Institute of Science &
Technology.
 Development of Biodegradable
Polymers
• A core research area Identified under the :
New Millennium Initiative Technology
Leadership India (NMITLI) in Ministry of
Science and Technology.
• Petrochemical Research & Development
Fund ( PRDF): To cater to projects of R&D
in up gradation & modernization of existing
Technology, development of Biopolymer &
biodegradable polymers.
 Petroleum, Chemicals and
Petrochemicals Investment Region
(PCPIRs)
• Government is working on PCPIRs to
promote investment both domestic and
international markets.

• These regions will have state-of-the art

infrastructure
• Benefits of co-citing, networking and
efficiency through common facilities.

103
Petroleum, Chemicals and Petrochemicals
Investment Region (PCPIRs)

• GoI has identified 5 locations to set up

PCPIR:
– Dahej
– Mangalore
– Vizag
– Haldia
– Paradip

104
PCPIR
Likely – PCPIR Locations
Special Economic Zone
Summing Up – Advantages India