TEHRAN – Iran’s Petrochemical Research and Technology Company (PRTC) unveiled three new research products on Tuesday in a ceremony attended by Oil Minister Javad Oji, Shana reported.

As reported, in this ceremony Oji unveiled a device for measuring the lifespan of polyethylene pipes in contact with chlorinated waters.

This measuring device is used to simulate the service conditions of drinking water pipes with high accuracy, as well as to evaluate the quality of various pipe grades produced domestically to estimate the lifespan of the pipes.

Based on an agreement between the operator and the device’s developer, it is currently passing a pilot test on the pipe grades produced by Jam Petrochemical company.

The technical knowledge for commercial production of ammonia synthesis catalysts and a base catalyst for selective acetylene hydrogenation were also the other two achievements unveiled in the mentioned ceremony.

The knowledge for the production of ammonia synthesis catalysts has been developed by an Iranian company called Smart Catalyst in collaboration with Petrochemical Research and Technology Company.

This catalyst is widely used by the country’s ammoniac-based petrochemical units and its domestic production is going to save the country millions of dollars every year.

The knowledge for the production of the base catalyst for selective acetylene hydrogenation was also indigenized by Pouya Pazhouhesh Bakhtar Company which is a subsidiary of Bakhtar Group Company.

Selective acetylene hydrogenation catalyst can remove acetylene from the input feed of olefin units of Shazand, Amirkabir, Ilam, Ariasasol, Jam, and Maroun petrochemical complexes.

The product is currently in the commercial production stage and its technical knowledge package is being prepared.

Earlier this month, PRTC Managing Director Majid Daftari said the country is going to become fully self-sufficient in producing the catalysts used in the petrochemical industry by the Iranian calendar year 1402 (starts in March 2023).

According to Daftari, out of 40 types of catalyst groups in the petrochemical industry, the knowledge for the production of 20 has been currently indigenized in the country.

“By the end of this year (March 20, 2022), [the knowledge for producing] eight more groups will be indigenized and the remaining 12 groups are being researched or developed,” he said.

Petrochemical is Iran's most important industry after oil and gas. The National Petrochemical Company hopes to lift output capacity to 120 million tons per annum by 2022.

The petrochemical industry has played a key role in domestic economic growth as it creates value-added and reduces the sale of oil and gas on which the economy has been dependent for decades.

With abundant hydrocarbon reserves and new private sector investments, Iran is working hard to maintain its global status in this key sector and broaden its scope.

EF/MA

Photo: Oil Minister Javad Oji