SUMGAYIT, Azerbaijan, September 16. A new stage
of modernization is beginning at SOCAR's Azerkimya Production Union
(PU), Process Director at the PU, Samir Salimli, said during a
media tour of SOCAR's Ethylene-Polyethylene Plant, held as part of
the "September 20 – Oil Workers' Day", Trend's correspondent reports from the
event.


The director noted that a modernization and reconstruction
project is currently being implemented at the facility.


"The project involves upgrading automation and control systems.
The engineering phase is 95 percent complete, and on-site work will
begin next year," Salimli explained.


According to him, in addition to ethylene and propylene, the
facility also produces by-products such as hydrogen, a
butylene-butadiene fraction, liquid pyrolysis resin, and heavy
resin.


Providing information on the operations of Azerkimya, Salimli
noted that the PU comprises the Ethylene Production, Low-Density
High-Pressure Polyethylene Production, and Steam-Electric Power
Production units.


He pointed out that low-density, high-pressure polyethylene is
produced at pressures of 1,800–2,500 bar and, after meeting
domestic demand, is exported to Türkiye and European countries.


"Our steam and electricity generation facility supplies our
enterprises and SOCAR Polymer with high-, medium-, and low-pressure
steam. Electricity is also generated here. The electricity produced
from the excess steam is transmitted to other SOCAR facilities and
the Sumgayit electrical grid," he added.







Salimli mentioned that the hydrogen is utilized at both
Azerkimya and SOCAR Polymer.


"At Azerkimya, hydrogen is used in selective hydrogenation
reactors. The objective here is to convert acetylene compounds
present in our primary products—ethylene and propylene—into
ethylene and propylene through hydrogenation. Meanwhile, at SOCAR
Polymer, hydrogen is used to meet internal demand," the director
emphasized.


According to him, the export markets for Azerkimya's products
include Türkiye, China, European countries, Estonia, and
others.


Salimli also noted that Azerkimya's production capacity has been
increased under previous projects, taking into account the internal
demand of both SOCAR Polymer and Azerkimya itself.


"Under the project implemented from 2016 through 2021, our
production capacity was increased by 40% for ethylene and 70% for
propylene. The facility has been operating at this capacity level
for 5 years now," he added.