IPCL Gandhar for major ethylene expansion

16-Mar-05

Indian Petrochemicals Corporation Limited (IPCL) is planning an expansion of its ethylene cracker capacity at Gandhar, Gujarat. The expansion, to the tune of 100,000 tons, will be achieved by installing a fifth gas cracking furnace, bringing total capacity to 400,000 tons. The production capacity of the Vadodara cracker will be expanded by 40,000 tons to 170,000-180000 tons. With this, the company's combined ethylene capacity, including the other crackers at Vadodara and Nagothane will rise to 950,000 - 1 million tons. The Gandhar expansion began in January this year and would be completed by '06, at an undisclosed investment outlay. Other expansions in the pipeline are : MEG at Gandhar by 157% to 188,000 tons Caustic soda capacity by 25% to 170,000 tons Polyvinyl chloride capacity by 135,000 tons