SUMGAYIT, Azerbaijan, September 16. Physical installation and construction-repair work under the instrumentation and automation project at SOCAR's Azerkimya Production Union are scheduled to begin next year, General Director of SOCAR's Azerkimya Production Union, Elnur Mammadli, 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.
He noted that the engineering—or design—phase of the project is currently 98% complete.
"Physical installation and construction-repair work at the site will commence next year. Once the project is fully completed, the plant's control systems will be fully automated, and the safety and reliability of operations will be further enhanced," Mammadli explained.
The general director noted that the Azerkimya Production Union serves as a crucial link between the Oil Refinery and SOCAR Polymer.
According to him, Azerkimya processes light fractions received from the Oil Refinery and supplies ethylene and propylene feedstock to SOCAR Polymer.
Mammadli also stated that the interval for major overhauls—previously carried out annually—has been extended to once every two years thanks to technical upgrades. This has made it possible to significantly reduce the financial costs associated with maintenance work.
He pointed out that the plant currently employs 1,900 people.
According to the data, SOCAR’s Ethylene-Polyethylene Plant produces 187,000 tons of propylene, 190,000 tons of ethylene, and 120,000 tons of polyethylene annually.
The plant's Polymir-120 unit, designed for high-pressure polyethylene production, has an annual capacity of 120,000 tons; it produces low-density polyethylene (LDPE).
The facility's energy complex generates both steam and electricity, with a production capacity of 480 tons of steam and 68 MW of electricity per hour.
