Narendra Modi, the Prime Minister of India, has inaugurated an INR 60 billion ($830 million) propylene derivative petrochemical complex at the BPCL Kochi refinery in Kerala.

The propylene derivative petrochemical complex will produce niche petrochemicals such as acrylic acid, oxo-alcohol, and acrylates, that have been traditionally imported in India. As a result, the Modi government estimates the new petrochemical project at the BPCL Kochi refinery to deliver INR 40 billion per year in savings from import substitution of the niche petrochemicals.

The propylene derivative petrochemical project is estimated to produce 160,000 tonnes per year of acrylic acid and 212,000 tonnes per annum of oxy alcohols and acrylates.

The products produced at the BPCL propylene derivative petrochemical complex will be used across various applications such as adhesives, solvents, paints and coatings, water treatment chemicals, super absorbent polymers, and the construction industry.

The BPCL Kochi refinery has expanded its refining capacity to 5,00,000 metric tonnes per year of propylene following the commissioning of the propylene derivative petrochemical complex.

BPCL Kochi refinery : $830m propylene derivative petrochemical complex inaugurated by PM Modi. Photo courtesy of Julie Elliott-Abshire from FreeImages.

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