ISTANBUL - SOCAR-backed Petkim has begun a $70 million engineering phase for a major expansion of its Turkish petrochemical complex that could more than double production of key polymers.
If the project receives final investment approval, Petkim aims to increase annual ethylene capacity from 588,000 metric tons to 1.2 million tons and polypropylene capacity from 145,000 tons to 550,000 tons, SOCAR Türkiye said.
The company has formally launched the front-end engineering and design, or FEED, stage, which will establish the project’s detailed technical and commercial parameters. The work is expected to be completed by the end of 2027, after which Petkim’s shareholders will decide whether to proceed with construction.
Three Technology Partners Selected
Petkim signed a FEED services and steam-cracker technology agreement with Technip Energies. Univation Technologies was selected for the planned polyethylene unit, while Lummus Novolen Technology will provide technology and engineering for polypropylene production.
The Master Plan is intended to raise Petkim’s overall polymer output by more than twofold and deepen integration between refining and petrochemical operations.
Petkim is SOCAR’s largest petrochemical asset in Turkey. Its products are used in plastics, textiles and other industrial and consumer goods, according to Vesti Baku.