Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the Rs30,000 crore ONGC Petro additions Limited (OPaL)'s largest petrochemical plant in India located at Dahej Special Economic Zone (SEZ), Gujarat. Spread over 508 hectares OPAL is the single-largest petrochemical complex in India.

OPaL is a joint venture company incorporated in 2006 promoted by Oil and Natural Gas Corporation Limited (ONGC) and co-promoted by GAIL (India) Limited and Gujarat State Petroleum Corporation (GSPC) implementing a grass root integrated mega petrochemical project in the port city of Dahej under the Petroleum, Chemicals and Petrochemical Investment Region (PCPIR).

The plant has capacity to produce about 14 lakh of polymers and 5 lakh tonnes of chemicals such as benzene annually. It has already been commissioned and delivered its first consignment of about 400 tonnes of polymer to an Ahmedabad-based company.

The complex consists of dual feed cracker unit with a capacity to produce 1,100 KTPA Ethylene, 400 KTPA Propylene along with Polymerisation Units and various Associated Units consisting of Pyrolysis Gasoline Hydrogenation Unit, Butadiene and Benzene Extraction Units.

The company’s polypropylene and polyethylene plant are expected to operate at 100 percent capacity in a few months.

OPaL's projected market share in the polymer sector will be 13 percent by 2018. The company would also contribute in encouraging polymer consumption in the country.

The average per capita consumption of polymers in India is 10 kg, compared to a world average of 32 kg. There is tremendous potential for growth of the sector catalysed by growth drivers such as increasing middle class, higher disposable income and urbanisation.

The petrochemical sector in the country has witnessed a robust growth of 10-12 percent per annum in the last decade, and is expected to grow at a rate of 12-15 percent in the next decade.

The plant is strategically located in the petrochemicals and chemical hub of the country with excellent connectivity, creating an integrated ecosystem.

It will generate direct employment for 3,500 personnel and indirect employment for around 10,500 people.

While Petroleum Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, currently in an official visit to USA, he personally reviewed the preparations of OPaL Dahej mega petrochemical plant before it is inaugurated by the PM.