Pakistan to build first ever naphtha cracker

Pakistan is planning to build the country’s first state-of-the-art grand petrochemical complex which would include a Naphtha Cracker Complex (NCC), which will convert naphtha into various by products like ethylene and propylene, which are raw material feedstock to produce textiles and various other consumer products.

The announcement for setting up the naphtha cracker came up after a meeting of a delegation from Pakistan Chemical Manufacturing Association (PCMA) and federal minister for planning, development and reforms.

NCC will have an impactful role in all industrial zones to be placed along the route of China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), it was said at the meeting.

Iqbal Kidwal, secretary general of Pakistan Chemical Manufacturing Association (PCMA) said that currently there are trying to pull together a feasibility report. The complex may take five to six years to complete with an investment of $6bn–8bn.

Currently, Pakistan has to buy all petrochemical feedstock from international market due to the absence of a naphtha cracker complex means taking heavy toll on import bill and prices of long range of items.

The NCC will be integrated with a petrochemical complex, that will produce polypropylene (PP), polyethylene (PE), ethylene glycol, paraxylene (PX), and few other high value products in the beginning, Tahir Qadir, chief consultant of PCMA said.

However, with the start of work on projects falling under the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), the south Asian country’s need for petrochemicals is set to rise.

A cracker and petrochemical complex were essential for Pakistan to meet the growing needs of the country. The creation of this complex will revolutionise the industrial landscape.

India has nine naphtha cracker complexes providing it tremendous mileage in industrial and economic progress.