Azerikimya PU
Production and sales of petrochemical products is one of SOCAR's core business dimensions. One of its critical units, Azerikimya Production Union (PU), plays a big role in the national petrochemical industry.
The history of chemical industry in our country begins in 1945, when production started at a facility named Ozer (later the Sumgayit Surfactant Plant). Owing to the determination and principal position of Great Leader Heydar Aliyev, the construction of EP-300 unit commenced in the 1970-1980s, and this unique facility was brought onstream in 1989. The new process plant started producing ethylene, propylene, butane-butadiene fraction, light and heavy py-resins, propane, and other valuable chemical stock. Further to EP-300, it was just the support of Heydar Aliyev that made possible the construction of Polimir-120 LDPE unit. With equipment brought from Germany and then Czechoslovakia, the 120 kta capacity unit gave a huge boost to the domestic production of polymer goods, such as pipes, covers and other household items. In 1992, State Company Azerikimya was established on the basis of existing enterprises.
The Decree of the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan dated 22 April 2010 "Revisions and Amendments to the Decree of the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan dated 24 January 2003 "Modernization of Structure of the State Oil Company of Azerbaijan Republic" set up PU Azerikimya as part of SOCAR. The enterprise includes the Ethylene-Polyethylene Plant (EP-300 and Polimir-120 production areas, isopropyl alcohol production area, steam and power generation area) and the Construction and Maintenance Department.
Once PU Azerikimya was set up, one of the primary objectives was to ramp up the activity in this field, improve the efficiency of the oil and gas processing and petrochemical industry, and increase the competitiveness of products. With SOCAR's support, toxic and harmful production processes that were not up to modern standards and had a negative impact on the urban environment were eliminated, and efficient production areas were reconstructed. In the Ethylene-Polyethylene plant (where PU Azerikimya's main production areas are located), a new nitrogen-oxygen unit and a modern-type cooling unit were built and put into operation; the absolute isopropyl alcohol production area was reconstructed; the lab covering production and quality control and sanitary areas was renovated and fitted with state-of-the-art equipment. At the same time, a chemical water treatment plant was installed, ensuring maximum purity of discharges into the Caspian Sea and making it possible to use the treated water in irrigation. Two more units were brought onstream in October of 2015, one PPF treatment and the other C4 (BBF) hydrogenation, thereby making it possible for facilities to operate more efficiently within a single structure.
Modernization activities kicked off at EP-300 unit in 2016, aiming at ramping up Azerikimya's output and product quality and quality, and especially at creating a sustainable supply of ethylene, propylene, pure hydrogen, and utilities for the new Polypropylene and High Density Polyethylene units installed in the Sumgayit Chemical Industrial Park as part of the SOCAR Polymer project; these activities were successfully completed in December of 2021.
Following the implementation of the phased project, the average daily feedstock processing rate has risen to as much as 2,500 tpd, spelling the increase in the actual production rate of primary and other products. The daily production rate of primary products, ethylene, and propylene, rose to 630 and 550 tpd, respectively. The actual production rates of main products at PU Azerikimya have doubled (and even tripled for some of the products); besides, a sustainable supply of SOCAR Polymer plants with required amounts of ethylene, propylene, pure hydrogen, and utilities has been ensured. In the subsequent phase, the ethylene production rate is expected to rise even further to 700 tpd.